In honor of Black History Month, online racial justice organization Color Of Change is launching “The Pedestal Project”–an AR experience on Instagram that lets users place statues of racial justice leaders atop empty pedestals where confederate monuments once stood. Color Of Change has advocated the removal of contentious statues for many years. Now, the Pedestal Project uses technology to see a world where statues finally depict worthy idols for the next generation.

The campaign launches with three racial justice leaders to honor and place on the empty pedestals where the likes of Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson once stood:

• John Lewis, civil rights leader and former United States Congressman
• Alicia Garza, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement, author, and principal at Black Futures Lab
• Chelsea Miller, co-founder of Freedom March NYC

 
People can try the AR experience on the Color Of Change Instagram page. Upon accessing the lens, users will be able to select from a gallery of statues, place it atop an empty pedestal and in each activist’s own voice, hear why change is worth fighting for.

This pro-bono effort was created with creative agency BBDO New York, which partnered with Spencer Evans, a Black sculpture artist, to create original and authentic representations of each activist and imagine how their modern monuments might come to life. 2D sketches were turned into 3D-renderings using CGI technology.

The campaign also drives users to an online petition that aims not just to remove every confederate symbol in America, but to repurpose the pedestals they once stood on by turning them into beacons of racial justice. 

“It’s an honor to partner with Color Of Change to put our creativity to work for something so positive and important,” said David Lubars, chief creative officer of BBDO Worldwide.  “It’s a simple, reductionist idea: repurpose the pedestals that celebrated an ugly part of our past to now celebrate a hopeful part of our future.”

This trailer outlines the initiative.

Credits

Client Color of Change Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, chief creative officer, worldwide; Daniela Vojta, Susan Young, executive creative directors; Anshumani, Jess Andrews, associate creative directors; Jessica Coccaro, executive producer; Star Wingate-Bey, producer, content; Julia Millison, sr. music producer; James Young, executive producer, digital; Philip Peker, producer, digital; Ilona Siller, Lizzy Lehn, art producers; Melanie Coyne, designer; Antoine Jones, animator; Jen Leung, VP strategy director. Statue Sculpture Spencer Evans, statue sculpture artist. Production Company 3D Statues Happy Finish; Nicole Fitzhugh, producer; Matt Painter, CG supervisor; Benjamin Allen, Flavio Novi, Sam Windomk, CG artists. Production Company BBDO Studios Jon Shu, line producer; Morgan Ammons, DP; The Syndicate, additional footage; Lindsey McLemore, Julia Galvin, exec producers; Veronica Proudford, Eleanor Murray-Mendelson, shooters. Editorial BBDO Studios Alex Lubars, editor; Andre Rowe Jr., studio director; Allie Kolb, sr. producer. Stock Footage Getty Images UGC Curation Catch & Release. Editorial (teaser film) Rock Paper Scissors Aaron Tompkins, editor; Noah Benezra, assistant editor; Eve Kornblum, exec producer; Jenny Greenfield, producer. Telecine MPC James Tillett, sr. colorist; Chris Connolly, exec producer; Kay Carpenter, producer. Conform/Finish MPC Tom McCullough, creative director/Flame lead; Marcus Wood, Flame assist; David Manzo, After Effects artist; Camila De Biaggi, exec producer; Anna Kravtsov, sr. producer. Music Pulse Charles Humenry, composer; Dan Kuby, exec producer. Audio Post Cory Bauman, chief engineer. Casting Janet Eisenberg, casting director.

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