Winners & Shortlists

DEPARTURE BOARD

Short List
TitleDEPARTURE BOARD
BrandAMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Product/ServiceHELP GET THEM HOME
Category A05. USE OF AMBIENT MEDIA: LARGE SCALE
Entrant Company LEO BURNETT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Advertising Agency LEO BURNETT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Agency JC DECAUX - MEDIA SERVICES London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name Company Position
Justin Tindall Leo Burnett London Executive Creative Director
Adam Tucker Leo Burnett London Creative Director
Hugh Todd Leo Burnett London Creative Director
Charlie Martin Leo Burnett London Creative Director
Blake Waters Leo Burnett London Copywriter
Will Thacker Leo Burnett London Art Director
Marc Donaldson Leo Burnett Graphic Designer
Leah Mitchell Leo Burnett London Art Buyer
Dirk Rees London Photographer
Andy Rudak London Photographer

Results and Effectiveness

Within hours of the stunt going live 41,575 people pledged their support and signed the petition. It also gained a lot of media coverage in London’s press and newspapers, while also spreading across Twitter and Facebook. But the greatest result was the release of political protester Hafez Ibrahim, who, since our departure board went live, is now back home with his family.

Creative Execution

We hijacked Britain’s largest departure board, during the busiest time at London’s busiest train station. A time when all everyone wants to do is get home. At 5.30pm we disrupted people’s journey’s home. As commuters stood in the Waterloo concourse looking for their platform the departure board didn’t show the usual destinations, instead it displayed the “destinations” of those who can’t get home. Every shocking stop on their journey. From their arrest to their prison cell, or in some horrific cases, a torture chamber. We then invited commuters and people online to join our petition and help them get home. This form of media was chosen specifically to gain maximum attention and stand-out. Something everyone in Waterloo at that time would come in contact with.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Around the world right now thousands of people are being abused, imprisoned and often tortured by their governments, simply for expressing their views. These people have little chance of being freed or getting home. We were given the task to create a piece of communication that can help them get home. We needed to get as many people as possible to react and text their support, and by doing so, signing our petition to push the governments to release them. We targeted London commuters who had time to take in our communication. We chose to talk to them on their way home. And there was our emotional hook. You can get home, these prisoners can’t. So we utilized this deep human truth at a time when home is the most important thing to everyone. 5.30pm. Or others would say – home time.