DROWNED REQUIEM

Short List
TitleDROWNED REQUIEM
BrandUNITED4RESCUE
Product/ServiceHUMAN RIGHTS
Category E07. Use of Original / Licensed / Adapted Composition
Entrant PHILIPP UND KEUNTJE Hamburg, GERMANY
Idea Creation PHILIPP UND KEUNTJE Hamburg, GERMANY
Media Placement FISCHERAPPELT PERFORMANCE Berlin, GERMANY
PR FISCHERAPPELT Hamburg, GERMANY
Production PHILIPP UND KEUNTJE Hamburg, GERMANY
Production 2 SKILL MUSIC Hamburg, GERMANY
Additional Company BETWEEN MUSIC Aarhus, DENMARK
Credits
Name Company Position
Diether Kerner Philipp und Keuntje Chief Creative Officer
Jan-Sievert Krause Phillip and Keuntje Executive Creative Director
Tobias Fritschen Philipp und Keuntje Creative Director and Director and Concept/Idea
Valentin Burkhardt Philipp und Keuntje Creative Director and Concept/Idea
Wilhelm Eckert Philipp und Keuntje Art Director
Andrew Philip Wulff Philipp und Keuntje Art Director
Ronja Kühner Philipp und Keuntje Copywriter and Concept/Idea
Tanja Heier Philipp und Keuntje Executive Client Service Director
Lara von Kroge Philipp und Keuntje Account Director
Charlyn Schröder Philipp und Keuntje Project Manager
Carolin Rakoczy Philipp und Keuntje Project Manager
Ines Wolff Philipp und Keuntje Producer
Hans Goedecke n/a Director of Photography
Jan-Gero Kleist Philipp und Keuntje Post Production (Film)
Christian Lessner Philipp und Keuntje Post Production (Film)
Dirk Mävers Philipp und Keuntje Programmer
David Schubert Philipp und Keuntje Screen Design
Sven Fröhlich Philipp und Keuntje Post Production (Images)
Ansgar Struck Philipp und Keuntje Post Production (Images)
Johanna Petereit Philipp und Keuntje Social Media Manager
Diana Bartel Philipp und Keuntje Social Media Manager
Lisa-Marie Otto Philipp und Keuntje Social Media Manager
Insa von Zeppelin Philipp und Keuntje Social Media Manager
Katrin Joppig fischerAppelt, relations Influencer Marketing
Franziska Przymusinski fischerAppelt, relations Influencer Marketing
Ayleen Finkenzeller fischerAppelt, relations PROI
Mirjam Patermann fischerAppelt, relations PROI
Julika Hettlich fischerAppelt, relations Public Realtions
Alisa Wissenbach Philipp und Keuntje Public Realtions
Mark-Alexander Kaldenbach fischerAppelt, performance Performance Marketing
Laila Skovmand Between Music Composer
Torben Brüggemann SKILL Music Sound Engineer
Alex Henke SKILL Music Sound Engineer
Kostas Milonakis n/a Director of Photography
Dean Gdontakis n/a Production Manager and Director of Photography (Drone)

Why is this work relevant for Entertainment?

In recent years, Europe's frontpages were dominated by the refugee crisis. But with so much going on in 2020, it's no wonder we stopped paying attention. And yet, people are still drowning every day. The "Drowned Requiem" attacked the news world from different angles to bring the topic back into the public eye. We created an intriguing and eye-catching music video performed by the underwater musicians Between Music to raise awareness all over Europe.

Background

Worldwide, there were 80 million refugees in 2020. The Mediterranean was, and still is, one of the hotspots of this humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. Europe is watching, closing its borders and ignoring their duty to rescue at sea. At the same time, civil sea rescue is being prevented from saving lives, and five rescue ships are currently being held on flimsy grounds. “Fort Europe” has become a reality. This is despite the fact that rescue at sea is a state task, and all EU Member States have pledged to respect Human Rights. Human rights? They simply drown with the refugees. How do we get Europe and its politicians to look again and fulfil its humanitarian duty?

Describe the creative idea

The Drowned Requiem is a unique music video. It leveraged on the sheer fascination brought by the unseen, which served as a Trojan horse for the campaign: intriguing beauty combined with dreadful glimpses. Recomposed into a requiem and performed by the underwater musicians Between Music, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the European Anthem, was played at the grave of thousands who drowned seeking help – at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

Describe the strategy

The goal of the campaign was to bring the drowning at the Mediterranean back into the public eye. By reaching as many Europeans as possible, and especially, by targeting European politicians, both directly and through newly empowered citizens that challenged their representatives to act. The campaign gave users multiple options to act: Share the video, post a video comment, address the EU directly or donate.

Describe the execution

The video was launched throughout Europe along with a petition to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to stop the tragedy at the Mediterranean and to support state sea rescue. In addition, the campaign raised funds for the new rescue ship “SEA-EYE 4”. The idea behind the unique approach of the Drowned Requiem campaign was to hit the social networks and obtain media coverage through diverse target groups: musicians and music enthusiasts as well as the world of politics and social activism. Using social channels served as an optimal springboard. The intention was to create as much buzz as possible from the start. After all, those who can generate a high level of engagement in social networks also demonstrate social relevance.

Describe the outcome

The performance video of the "Drowned Requiem" spread throughout Europe. The campaign found it's way into the most influential European News channels, especially in the cultural segment. It was particularly successful in government districts from Brussels to Berlin thanks to geotargeting. Through the campaign page, thousands of Europeans emailed EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to remind her of the EU's treaty obligations - and United4Rescue raised donations for a new rescue ship. More than 15 million contacts, visitors from 133 countries for wesendaship.org, an average donation of 84.37 Euro per donor and 440,000 Euro for a new rescue ship: the Sea-Eye 4. Financed in a record-breaking 4 weeks. Until now the SEA-EYE 4 rescued more than 400 people. And Ursula von der Leyen? She had her email account disabled.