Un-Happy Birthday: Foundry supports Amnesty International
These days mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Is that a reason to celebrate—or not? That’s exactly what the «Un-Happy Birthday» campaign—developed by Foundry for Amnesty International Finland—is all about.
At Foundry, the communications agency with offices in Berlin, Zurich and New York, we have creatives, consultants and strategists from all over the world. That's why we not only have an international DNA. We also have a certain sense of what it's like to leave your home country and start from scratch somewhere else. All the harder for those who didn't choose it.
There is a lot of heated debate about asylum seekers. Foundry believes that the debate about human rights and how to protect or strengthen them is being neglected. Especially on the 70th anniversary of human rights, it should be made clear that there is a need to catch up here, even in the middle of Europe. A good example of this is the fact that asylum seekers are deported to dangerous countries and regions. Also in Finland.
The answer to the question of whether the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights is a cause for celebration can therefore only be: Yes and No. And that is exactly what they campaign idea is: It stages the anniversary as "Un-Happy Birthday: No Reason to Celebrate".
The campaign creates a platform for all those who have to deal with the common deportation practice and the resulting sometimes terrible consequences: The affected asylum seekers themselves, of course, but also their relatives, friends and supporters. Some asylum seekers fled to Europe because of war, others because they were politically persecuted. What they all have in common is that deportation to dangerous regions not infrequently threatens life and limb.
The individual campaign motifs dramatize the stark contradiction between the 70th anniversary and the terrifying reality of deportation to crisis areas or high-risk countries. They show asylum seekers or their supporters telling their moving stories - and this, of all things, in the midst of festive birthday decorations including party hats on their heads. Appropriately, the population is called upon to vote under Amnesty.fi Sign a petition against deportations to dangerous neighborhoods.
The media used are films, print ads, flyers, social media and classic and digital posters.
Responsible at Amnesty International Finland: Nora Huhta; Piia Mustonen; Tomi Asikainen; Vilma Vuorio. Responsible at Foundry Berlin: Sacha Moser (Creative Partner); Alexander Sistenich (Concept); Sampo Hänninen (CD Art); Gregor Wollenweber (Graphics); Markus Neumann (Consulting); Alexander Sistenich (Concept). Photography: Robert Lindström. On Location Producer: Mete Sasioglu. Film production: Director: Vanessa Vandy; Executive Producer: Lamar Hawkins; Producer: Mete Sasioglu (Sons of Lumiere); Casting: Nora Huhta & Mete Sasioglu; DoP and 1st camera operator: Theofanis Kavvadas; 2nd camera operator: Thomas William Poole; 1st AD: Erkka Immonen; Gaffer & Grip: Hans Barck; Best Girl: Senja Ruohonen; Sound Recordist: Jarno Muhonen; Art Department: Tony Alfström; Post Production Supervisor: Vanessa Vandy; Editor: Joona Möttö; Sound Designer, Composer and Mixer: Sakari Karjalainen (El Camino Helsinki); Color Grade: Matic Prusnik; BTS Photography: Jori Grönroos; Gear: The Camera House / Valofirma.
