| Title | SINGING SAILOR |
| Brand | THE SWEDISH PEACE AND ARBITRATION SOCIETY |
| Product/Service | SUSTAINABLE PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS |
| Category |
A06. Events & Experiential (incl. stunts) |
|
Entrant Company
|
ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
|
|
Advertising Agency
|
ÅKESTAM HOLST Stockholm, SWEDEN
|
Credits
| Andreas Ullenius |
Åkestam Holst |
Creative Director |
| Adam Reuterskiöld |
Åkestam Holst |
Åkestam Holst Åkestam Holst Åkestam Holst Åkestam Holst Åkestam Holst Åkestam Holst Freelance Positi |
| Fredrik Josefsson |
Åkestam Holst |
Art Director |
| Johan Eklund |
Åkestam Holst |
Producer |
| Johan Wahlberg |
Åkestam Holst |
Innovative Producer |
| John Müllersdorf |
Åkestam Holst |
Innovative Producer |
| Eric Karlsson |
Åkestam Holst |
DoP/Editor |
| Kalle Peterz |
Åkestam Holst |
Web Developer |
| Jessica W Sandberg |
Freelance |
Communications Director |
The Campaign
In the search for foreign submarines last year, the Swedish military just had their biggest mobilization for decades. But, they found nothing. Voices are heard for more resources.
The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, the world's oldest peace organization want the world to think in new ways instead of falling back on territorial defense, military service and rearmament – the world does not need more weapons.
The Singing Sailor is a subsurface sonar system installed into the sea in the archipelago due east of Stockholm. It sends out the Morse code: 'This way if you are gay'. The Singing Sailor also features a neon sign with a sailor waving his white flag above the text 'Welcome to Sweden - Gay since 1944' (the year Sweden as the first country in the world legalized homosexuality). Interesting info for any submarines passing close by.
The media impact:
After a fortnight in the archipelago due east of Stockholm, the Singing Sailor's reach was 1.5 billion people. Without any media money spent, The Singing Sailor created a 100 percent organic buzz. People from 146 countries have seen his video and he was on CNN to Moscow Times. The Nobel Prize committee tweeted the campaign and the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society has been quoted in every possible media.
The Brief
The goal was to make a contribution to the debate that we all should shift military resources into development and to urge the world and the Swedish government to consider alternative solutions.
By thinking in new ways, we could do so much more for peace and human rights with the billions we now spend on weapons purchases and military initiatives. Efforts that would actively prevent conflicts, instead of the rearmament that is being proposed now.
Execution
The Singing Sailor is a subsurface sonar system installed into the sea in the archipelago due east of Stockholm. It sends out the Morse code: 'This way if you are gay'. The Singing Sailor also features a neon sign with a sailor waving his white flag above the text 'Welcome to Sweden - Gay since 1944' (the year Sweden as the first country in the world legalized homosexuality). Interesting info for any submarines passing close by.
After the installation, a Swedish press release was sent out and the president of the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society was immediately invited to Sweden's biggest television morning show. Other media joined directly and an English press release was sent out to international media and selected journalists were contacted.
After a fortnight in the archipelago due east of Stockholm, the Singing Sailor's reach so far is 1.5 billion people. Without any media money spent, The Singing Sailor created a 100 percent organic buzz. People from 146 countries have seen his video and he was on CNN to Moscow Times. The Nobel Prize committee tweeted the campaign and the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society has been quoted in every possible media.
He has been on AP, AFP, Reuters, Huffington, CNN, Moscow Times, BBC News, Washington Post, Saturday Night Live, New York Post, The Independent, Discovery, Reddit, CBS News, Diário de Notícias, The Daily Mail, Yahoo News, The Swedish Television, Radio Sweden, NRK, LBTQ Nation, ABC News, The Guardian, Rai, Metro Canada, Discovery News, New York Times, The Telegraph, Gay Star News, Frontiers Media, UPI, Edge Boston, CNET, Buzzfeed News, France Info, Chicago Sun, France 24, Die Welt and more.
The Strategy
The strategy was to use three hot topics: Re-armament, the Swedish fear of Russians submarines and Russia's conditions for LGBT people.
In times of unrest, it's very easy to fall back on territorial defense, military service and rearmament – but the world does not need more weapons. Military rearmament in itself is a major contributing cause of conflict, and that conflicts take a violent and destructive process.