BMF CREATES WAVE FOR MEDECIN SANS FRONTIERES
BMF has launched a 19-metre high outdoor poster of a gigantic wave in Sydney for charity client Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Australia, working closely with outdoor specialist Amity Media.
With the effects of the Boxing Day Tsunami and also the Java tsunami still in the mind, the breathtaking scale of the eight-storey wave drives the point home that disasters can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
Located on a construction site opposite the Coke sign in Kings Cross, it is one of the most ambitious outdoor projects to hit the streets of Sydney since the Olympics and it represents a spectacular example of the outdoor medium.
“Great outdoor has the power to stop you in your tracks and the dramatic impact of a 19-metre wave coming right at you in the street is just awesome,” said BMF Executive Creative Director Warren Brown.
The giant wave poster is designed to draw attention to the suffering that results from ongoing disasters and conflicts that occur throughout the world, but without the same blaze of publicity that the Boxing Bay Tsunami attracted.
“This is the core message of the poster,” explains MSF Australia’s Executive Director Philippe Couturier. “The Boxing Day Tsunami was a high impact event around the world and Australians responded very generously. But the unfortunate reality is that there are equivalent events to the Tsunami happening all the time that don’t get anything like the same publicity and financial support.”
MSF is the world’s leading independent humanitarian and medical aid organization. Each year some 3,000 volunteer doctors, nurses and support staff (including about 140 from Australia) work in almost 80 trouble spots around the world dealing with medical emergencies caused by disasters, both natural and man-made - including epidemics, famine, and civil war. MSF relies on private donations and can only perform this vital work with public support.
“The public is terrific at donating once highly-publicised disasters take place,” Couturier added, referring once again to the Tsunami’s aftermath, “but speed of response is a critical factor in dealing with any major crisis. For MSF to be able to place medical resources quickly on the scene, we need donations before disasters strike, hence our Field Partner program for regular giving.”
Ian Robinson, Director of Amity Media, said “We are extremely pleased to have delivered this Mega Banner on behalf of MSF, it is a phenomenal example of the power of this product. Our business is about transforming the unsightly corners of the cityscape into vibrant canvasses of artwork and there could not be a better location than a construction site in Kings Cross. We hope to build on this work with the City of Sydney and add further visual improvements to the streetscape by temporarily brightening up unsightly scaffolds in appropriate locations and in accordance with the objectives of the City, as is already taking place in Brisbane.”
Adds Warren Brown: “This poster was made possible through the collaboration of a great team including our creative, account management and production people along with retouchers, media people, printers and the Sydney City Council. BMF has supported MSF for over nine years and it is terrific to see so many talented people coming together to create something special for such a worthwhile cause. I really want to extend our heartfelt thanks to them all.”
Those who should be acknowledged include BMF, Amity Media, the Sydney City Council, Cave, Mothersole Construction, Erect Safe Scaffolding, Omnigraphics, Skyworker, Connell Wagner.
Executive Creative Director: Warren Brown
Art Director: Justus Von Engelhardt
Copywriter: Michael Canning
Account Management: Lorna Parry
Media Company: Ian Robinson - Amity Media
Retoucher: Marcus Thyer – Cave
Client: Philippe Couturier, MSF
18 Comments:
Awesome job guys.
Straight into Cannes with that one.
Congrats.
it looks way better in that photo than in real life.
you can barely tell that it's a wave at night.
great idea.. average image selection.
But could it work as a mailpack?
"Awesome job guys.
Straight into Cannes with that one.
Congrats".
I agree Warren.
pretty dull. i find it disgusting that 'and add further visual improvements to the streetscape by temporarily brightening up unsightly scaffolds in appropriate locations'. using a disaster as a way of 'brightening up' construction sites. you make me sick Media Man.
Ad people continue to disgust me.... to also say 'Straight into Cannes'....how horrible. put your hand into your silk lined pockets and donate.
Hello people in australia, please dontae to MSF, they are nice people, they have hit us with a tidal wave, a tidal wave of love and compassion.
I would one day like to come to Australia and work there, maybe in advertising but most likely i wont have the skills so I will be happy just to work in the factory that make the bolts that hold up the very big ad for MSF.
have a nice day my new friends.
Geevan
This has already been done in NYC. As part of work safety awareness, some guys flew a couple of planes into some towers causing them to collapse.
Visually it was very effective, and as Warren says, "Great outdoor has the power to stop you in your tracks and the dramatic impact of a 'plane' coming right at you in the street is just awesome." It was never entered though, it would have really turned some heads.
Thank god for tasteful advertising, yes straight to Cannes. Keep up te great work!
Coincidence is a funny thing.
The same thing was done in Wellington NZ a couple of months ago as part of a big government disaster campaign. It was a huge tsunami on the front of an apartment block right next to the harbour. There was also a big earthquake crack in a public square in another part of town.
Coincidence is a funny thing. where would Australian advertising be these days without coincidence.
Looks and reads like a promo for a movie.
Seen it done better.
Anybody else notice the irony and hypocrisy of creating an ad purporting to support an organisation whose purpose is to alleviate the suffering of others, when the real agenda and interest is really self promotion via an award at Cannes?
Photos 8.11, we want photos.
Scam.
first thought
Dicks.
They're both ripped off. I saw the same idea for a maritime museum a few years ago.
Straight to cannes my ass. It's obvious and boring
Ok, so it may be a familiar idea, but to all the knockers think about this.
When was the last time you saw any outdoor advertising in Australia that was remotely interesting?
Look in CB creative circle. Every week there's at least one piece of outdoor from NZ that's gets noted, but in Oz it's all about TV, a dying medium.
So will it pick up metal? I doubt it.
But if it changes the mindset of suppliers and media buyers here and makes it easier for me to do something different in outdoor then I am indebted to these guys.
Thanks for doing interesting outdoor guys. Well done.
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