Michael Clowater of Radke Films directed this online film entitled Sacrifice for War Child out of Toronto agency john st. War Child is an international charity working with mothers and children all over the world to reduce the effects of poverty, provide an education and to defend and promote child rights.
The short is part of a campaign based on the premise that moms will sacrifice anything for their kids. In war-torn areas of the world, they sacrifice everything: forced by war to give up their homes, their basic rights, and their ability to protect their children. Launching just in time for Mother’s Day, the campaign conceived by john st. aims to raise funds to support these mothers living in conflict. The work asks mothers to make a “Mother’s Day Sacrifice”—giving up their usual gift in exchange for a donation to War Child.
“The idea is based on the insight that moms already make tons of sacrifices every day,” said Melissa Tobenstein, account team leader at john st. “They sacrifice their time, their homes, their sex lives – so what’s one more sacrifice, especially for such a good cause?”
“It’s all about moms helping moms. And moms around the world, regardless of their personal circumstances, understand sacrifice,” added James Topham, War Child’s director of communications of War Child. “I think most moms would gladly give up a physical gift, especially if it’s something like a dustbuster, for a donation that helps another mother caught up in war.”
Supporting mothers is vital to War Child’s mission to protect childhood in war-afflicted communities. In these communities, a child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past age five. And in sub‐Saharan Africa, an estimated 1.8 million children’s lives could have been saved in 2008 if their mothers had at least secondary education–a 41% reduction in the death rate.
Client War Child Agency john st. Angus Tucker, Stephen Jurisic, executive creative directors; Niall Kelly, creative director; Hannah Smit, Amy Neill, art directors; Jessica Schnurr, Tracey Wan, copywriters; Neal Owusu, producer; Sasha Abrams, Joshua Richards, Alex Theroux, web team. Production Radke Films Michael Clowater, director. Postproduction Saints Audio Grayson Matthews
Top Spot of the Week: Samsung, BBH Singapore, Director Rhys Thomas Get Fit For A Surf Holiday
Samsung’s new global campaign from BBH Singapore, featuring Samsung Health and Galaxy AI, tells the story of a young professional couple who compete to get fit for a surf holiday.
Titled “A Samsung Health Story: Racing to Fiji,” this film taps into Gen Z’s wellness dilemma and the fact that they can often find health information overwhelming; in particular, BBH Singapore took inspiration from young people who reference their “quarter life crisis” on social media. This film tells the story of Stacey and Steve who decide to go surfing in Fiji, something they did five years ago but haven’t done since they started their jobs. However, there’s one problem: they need to get fitter first.
Featuring a range of Galaxy products powered by Galaxy AI, they rebuild their fitness to prepare for the trip, competing playfully to spur each other on. We see them comparing their Energy Scores (a new feature on the Samsung Health app), recording their runs and swims on their Samsung Galaxy Watches, trying and failing to get fit at work and on their commutes and striving to improve in the run up to the trip. When they get there, however, there’s a fun twist, and the film ends on a cliffhanger.
The ad is expected to be the first in a series, which will develop the characters and their “world” in future episodes. This longform (two-and-a-half-minute) version of the spot delves deeper into the storytelling, in a fresh approach for Samsung’s product campaigns, while the shorter edits focus on driving exposure to specific features.
BBH Singapore also leaned into the entertainment aspect of the spot; it was directed by comedic specialist Rhys Thomas at Stink Films, who has a major TV background. Best known for his work on Saturday Night... Read More