Canadians are looking forward to their first “proper” Thanksgiving in three years. But for more than 5.8 million people living in a food insecure household, Monday, Oct. 10 will be just another day without enough to eat.
Food insecurity is currently a growing problem in Canada, with the combination of rising food and housing costs pushing many families to the breaking point. According to Food Banks Canada, 1 in 8 Canadians currently face food insecurity, and the need for greater access to food cuts across all segments of society.
A lack of food not only starves people of their physical and mental health, but also deprives them of social opportunities and a sense of belonging, said Food Banks Canada’s CEO Kristin Beardsley, who calls it a national crisis.
To raise awareness of this critical issue at a time when food and full bellies are very much top-of-mind for Canadians, Food Banks Canada has launched the provocative “Starve the Hunger” campaign created by Toronto agency The Local Collective.
The integrated campaign, which includes TV, OLV, cinema and out-of-home, is anchored by this two-minute video spot depicting hunger as a voracious caterpillar eating away at the very fabric of society.
Directed by Mark Zibert of production company Scouts Honour, the PSA opens on a young girl sitting in a room and drawing in a notebook, when she notices a ragged hole in its pages left by a hungry caterpillar. “There’s this thing,” says the accompanying voiceover. “It seems small at first, like something you don’t really notice. Something we don’t really need to worry about. But it grows. And soon it’s impossible to ignore.” As the spot continues, we see the caterpillar devouring the city and growing larger, eventually turning into a Godzilla-sized caterpillar atop a skyscraper.
The need for system change has never been more acute says The Local Collective’s founder and chief creative officer, Matt Litzinger. “We needed a platform capable of engaging Canadians on an emotional level,” he said. “’Starve the Hunger’ is designed to cause not only a reaction, but involvement. Telling this story in an emotional way allows Food Banks Canada to have a different conversation with Canadians.”
CreditsClient Food Banks Canada Agency The Local Collective, Toronto Matt Litzinger, chief creative officer/copywriter/art director; Kaitlin Doherty, president; Alison Savage, chief strategy officer; Omar Morson, creative director/head of design; Chris Booth, copywriter; Joel Arbez, art director. Production Company Scouts Honour Mark Zibert, director/DP; Rita Popielak, Simon Dragland, exec producers; Eric Kaskens, DP. Editorial Nimeopere Graham Chisholm, editor; Griffin Stobbs, assistant editor. Color Alter Ego Wade Odlum, colorist. VFX Tantrum Dominik Bochenski, artist; Margarita Reynes, producer; Victoria Holt, exec producer. Audio Rajakovic Electric Mark Rajakovic, composer; Nicole Rajakovic, exec producer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More