Winners & Shortlists

UNCENSORED ARTICLES MADE IN CHINA

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Case Film

Presentation Board

TitleUNCENSORED ARTICLES MADE IN CHINA
BrandHUMO MAGAZINE
Product/ServiceHUMO MAGAZINE
Category C06. PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA
Entrant Company MORTIERBRIGADE Brussels, BELGIUM
Advertising Agency MORTIERBRIGADE Brussels, BELGIUM
Media Agency DE VIJVER MEDIA Vilvoorde, BELGIUM
Production Company EUGENE & LOUISE Aaigem, BELGIUM
Credits
Name Company Position
Jens Mortier/Joost Berends/Philippe De Ceuster Mortierbrigade Creative Director
Vincent D' Halluin Mortierbrigade Strategy
Eline Rousseau Mortierbrigade Agency Producer
Evert Vermeire Mortierbrigade Agency Producer
Manuel Ostyn Mortierbrigade Creative
Pieter Staes Mortierbrigade Creative
Wannes Vermeulen Mortierbrigade Creative Developer
Wietse De Ridder Mortierbrigade Creative Developer
Lisbeth Rillaert Humo Client
Steven Huyers/Elvira Torfs Humo Client
Danny Ilegems Humo Editor In Chief

The Brief

May 3rd is International Press Freedom day. Western people take press freedom for granted, but in China for example, there is no press freedom to speak of. Recently it even took a turn for the worse. When the Chinese government not only censored an article on censorship. But rewrote it completely. The Belgian independent magazine 'Humo' wanted to lend its 1,3 billion Chinese friends an uncensored hand.

Creative Execution

May 3rd is International Press Freedom Day. Humo magazine wanted to stress out its independence. So we used China's biggest export products to make our point on censorship.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

So we took the uncensored version of this article that was never published in China. And had it printed. In China. We turned a forbidden article into trendy designs. And had it printed on T-shirts, mousepads, iPhone covers, mugs and baseball caps.

Results

At first, most factories refused. But eventually we sneaked the uncensored article past the Chinese censorship. And gave hundreds of Chinese printers, sowers, folders, packers and all other workers at 52 different factories the chance to read an Uncensored article. We informed reporters all over the world, who were eager to spread the campaign. It was picked up and spread by Chinses opinion makers, like Chinese artist Aiweiwei. But most important: we spread a message of hope towards reporters in China and the rest of the world. We sensitized people on the importance of freedom of the press. And the gadgets? They were sold on the Humo website, raising funds for Reporters without Borders.