Standing up against torture with scissors
Social Advertising: Publicis is helping Amnesty International in its fight for human rights with a series of ads.
Social Advertising Publicis is helping Amnesty International in the fight for human rights with a series of advertisements. The images of torture from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq once again document that human rights are usually only valid on paper - and not only in the so-called rogue states. In its 2004 annual report, Amnesty International (AI) accuses 155 countries of violating human rights. It also criticizes the "mistreatment of foreigners by the Swiss police" and the "excessive use of force against demonstrators" in Switzerland. Since 1961, the organization founded by British lawyer Peter Beneson has been campaigning worldwide for compliance with the human rights enshrined in law 56 years ago. Despite its successful commitment, AI draws a devastating balance in its current annual report: "At international level, human rights and international law have never been so disregarded in more than a century as in the past year. "Struggle for donationsAI obtains the financial means for its commitment mainly from donations from members and donors. In 2003, these funds accounted for 76 percent or around seven million Swiss francs of all income for the Swiss section.
AI Switzerland is competing with many other organizations for a share of the shrinking volume of donations. The Swiss section, which was founded in the 1970s, has received creative support from the Zurich agency Publicis. Last December, the team led by CD Markus Gut used shocking commercials and a submarine ad to draw attention to the abuses in the observance of human rights.
Under the motto "Get him out of there", AI Switzerland and Publicis are once again launching a series of advertisements this month. The subjects show scenes of torture and abuse, with the victim always framed by a dotted line enclosing an address field. Gut comments: "Freeing the victims from the hands of their tormentors is a matter of seconds by cutting out the coupon". As this actually takes longer, anyone who sends the coupon to AI Switzerland becomes a member and supports the organization with 75 francs a year.
According to AI Switzerland, around 30 percent of this amount is invested in public relations work. This includes a campaign that was recently launched: Based on last year's advertisement subject, which symbolizes a torture cellar, cards with the inscription "Stop torture by the occupying forces in Iraq!" are being distributed. The flyers are addressed to the American ambassador in Switzerland and demand an immediate investigation into all allegations of torture. The subject is, appropriately enough, a press photo of an Iraqi courtroom, whose original exemplary purpose is thus given a concrete reference.
Get active: AI posters encourage membership.
AI Switzerland is competing with many other organizations for a share of the shrinking volume of donations. The Swiss section, which was founded in the 1970s, has received creative support from the Zurich agency Publicis. Last December, the team led by CD Markus Gut used shocking commercials and a submarine ad to draw attention to the abuses in the observance of human rights.
Under the motto "Get him out of there", AI Switzerland and Publicis are once again launching a series of advertisements this month. The subjects show scenes of torture and abuse, with the victim always framed by a dotted line enclosing an address field. Gut comments: "Freeing the victims from the hands of their tormentors is a matter of seconds by cutting out the coupon". As this actually takes longer, anyone who sends the coupon to AI Switzerland becomes a member and supports the organization with 75 francs a year.
According to AI Switzerland, around 30 percent of this amount is invested in public relations work. This includes a campaign that was recently launched: Based on last year's advertisement subject, which symbolizes a torture cellar, cards with the inscription "Stop torture by the occupying forces in Iraq!" are being distributed. The flyers are addressed to the American ambassador in Switzerland and demand an immediate investigation into all allegations of torture. The subject is, appropriately enough, a press photo of an Iraqi courtroom, whose original exemplary purpose is thus given a concrete reference.
Get active: AI posters encourage membership.
Simone Keller
