During the AACC*’s Open Agency Day, ACT Responsible conducted an online vote to showcase the top French campaigns for a good cause of the year. From a selection of 81 campaigns, Top26 were presented for the public to vote through the platform developed by AdForum.
Strike claimed the top spot after days of harsh competition with the « 10 Years Lost » campaign, created for the non profit association SINGA. The aim of the campaign is to highlight that, for refugees, it is often the arrival in Europe that represents the greatest challenge, not the departure from their home country. Discover the story of Laïla, who will find herself reduced to her sole status as a refugee, erasing her entire professional past.
Interview with Maëlle Mezaber marketing director and Myriam Nouicer communication director at SINGA global.
“Our idea with these « Coup de Coeur » is to highlight advertising production on social and environmental themes, to inspire the profession and to shine a spotlight on these achievements for a few days, making them visible to as many people as possible. What is your perspective about that?” says Sophie Guerinet, Co-founder of Act Responsible.
Myriam reacts “This visibility is crucial for organizations like ours, which have limited resources and need to promote their activities and mission. Issues such as the downgrading of refugee jobs are invisible in the media and advertising landscape.”. Maëlle continues “We believe that advertising can be a powerful lever for raising awareness and driving positive change. By making these campaigns visible, we’re not just recognizing creative work; we’re taking part in a movement of awareness and civic engagement”.
An interesting collaboration between SINGA, STRIKE and students from Sup de Pub.
“This campaign is the fruit of a partnership between committed actors. First and foremost, it brings together SINGA, an organization dedicated to the inclusion of exiled people, and its Communications and Marketing team, who are changing the narrative on migration on a daily basis; STRIKE, an advertising agency committed to major environmental and social causes; and Sup de Pub students who were particularly moved and inspired by this subject.” says Myriam. Maëlle add “We also drew on authentic testimonials from members of the SINGA community: an Afghan surgeon turned cab driver, a Syrian researcher who is now a babysitter, an Iranian engineer turned delivery boy, an Iranian journalist relegated to washing dishes in a restaurant… The strength of this project lies in the collaboration between the people directly concerned, associations, the creative sector and higher education”.
The creative idea is in fact very humane. The emotion lies in the testimony and the personification of a social problem that we don’t talk about in France. Maëlle says “We wanted to raise awareness of a little-talked-about issue: the downgrading of refugees around the world. Despite having a higher education diploma in their pocket for almost half of all refugees in Europe, it takes around 10 years for them to return to their original socio-professional situation.” an alarming figure. “At SINGA, we work to support new arrivals in their host societies in Europe and North America, so that they can rebuild a network and find a professional activity that matches their skills, particularly through entrepreneurship.”
To the question “Are you satisfied by the industry’s participation in helping charities raise awareness on their work? Myriam answers « The advertising industry has always been at the forefront of society and is moving in the right direction, but it’s time to step up the pace!”
*Association des Agences Conseils en Communication (french association of communication agencies)
Campaign credits :
Advertiser: SINGA
General Director: Benoît Hamon / Fatemeh Jailani
Communication and marketing directors : Myriam Nouicer / Maëlle Mezaber
Design: Sup de Pub Lyon
Mila Paupelard / Charlotte Sage / Liam Da Mota Rocha / Louis Didierlaurent
Agency: STRIKE
President & ECD: Jérôme Gonfond
General director & CSO: Pierre Bellefleur
Creative Director: Rémi Lascault
Production and post-production: ROLLER
Director: Jérôme Gonfond
Cinematographer: Léo Lacan
Photographer : Louis Camelin
Actor (film – Laila) – Fahimeh Mirshafiei
Actor (film – Joseph) – Baoussi Soukouna