AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL | SIGNATURE | 2007
A Signature Can Stop a Bullet, or Open a Prison Door / Amnesty International "Signature"
In an animated film, a single signature turns into a door, a shield, a balloon. The project began from the fact that human rights work felt distant to French people.
The problem
For people living in France, the human rights that Amnesty International protects felt far removed from everyday life, and it was hard to feel any real sense of how they themselves could get involved. This film was made to close that distance.
The insight
The whole bet was on showing just how much power there is in the quiet act of signing your name. The real challenge was translating one simple message into images as powerfully as possible.
The idea
A signature to free someone from prison. A signature to protect a woman fleeing violence. A signature to carry a child out of a war zone. For each theme, a single signature transforms into something different in this animated film. A prisoner turns his signature into a door and escapes. A man uses his as a shield against bullets. A woman turns hers into a whip to help her run. A child soldier turns his into a balloon and flies away. The director was Philippe Grammaticopoulos, and it was produced by MR HYDE.
What happened
Made by TBWA\PARIS, the film won a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions.
Afterthought
Signing your name is just writing a few letters on paper. What makes this idea so strong is turning that into a door, a shield, a balloon. It feels like watching the very essence of advertising at work: taking a small, quiet act and turning it into a powerful image.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2007
