THE ARMY/COI | DEBRIS | 2009
Soldiers were dying on the way home, not on the battlefield / THE ARMY "DEBRIS"
British Army soldiers were actually more likely to die in motorcycle accidents than in combat. This film was made to drive home just that one point.
The problem
A study found that soldiers died in motorcycle accidents at a higher rate than civilians. In response, the Army decided to create a hard-hitting film calling for accident prevention.
The insight
The fact that the road home from work was more dangerous than fighting the enemy must have been pretty uncomfortable data for the military itself to face. There are plenty of ads about the fear of the battlefield, but very few military ads that talk about the fear of the daily commute.
The idea
True to its title, "DEBRIS," the film seems to be built around focusing on the fragments that scatter at the moment of a crash. It's said to confront viewers directly with imagery so intense you want to look away. The finer details of the visuals couldn't be confirmed.
What happened
As part of the campaign that included this film, Golley Slater's Wales office won a Gold Lion in the Film category at the Cannes Lions in 2009.
Afterthought
Military ads tend to focus on bravery or bonds between comrades, but this one tackles something incredibly plain and incredibly urgent: don't die on your way home. I love that a regional agency outside London picked up on that unglamorous truth and turned it into an award-winning piece of work.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2009
