We created a film that shows what a veteran experiences in the course of a normal day. Viewers first watch various war scenes. Super: “These images are from the battlefield. The sounds are not.” Halfway through, the film cuts to everyday scenes from civilian life: an alarm clock going off, a fan swirling, a washing machine spinning, balloons and popcorn popping and fireworks going off. It turns out that the audio from the war scenes was actually recorded using these noises. Everyday sounds were selected with the cooperation of real veterans in the aim of being as true as possible.
Creative Execution
Sound is 99% of the idea. We illustrated war scenes with sounds exclusively recorded from everyday life: an alarm clock going off, a fan swirling, a washing machine spinning, balloons and popcorn popping and fireworks going off. With an extremely precise mix, we managed to mislead 100% of the audience by showing them real war scenes. It delivers the message: “Daily sounds can bring veterans right back to war”. Everyday sounds were selected with the cooperation of real veterans in the aim of being as true as possible.
Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market
More than 1M views in less than 5 days on social media with 0 media investment. Widespread media coverage such as “Fast Company”, “Upworthy”, “AdAge”, Most of all the project was shared by a hundred Veteran and PTSD sufferers’ pages on Facebook. The visits to the David Lynch Foundation website increased by 23% during the campaign.
Inside a veteran’s head, war is never over. We never realize how the noises of life can be traumatic triggers for veterans of war. By putting the audience in a veteran’s shoes, we increased their inclination to donate.