UNHCR – LET THEM IN The Syrian refugee crisis isn’t a third world problem. It isn’t a Europe problem. It’s a human problem. But there’s hope.
Role: Creative Director & Creative Strategy | Impact: Campaign achieved industry recognition, sparking conversation.
Long Story Short
Year after year this debate seems to gain momentum.
UNHCR is boldly changing the tone for this conversation. And the intention is exactly that, start a conversation
#Letthemin
AWARDS
#LetThemIn by The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR,) has been awarded bronze for the category of Student Print Campaign by the 2016 Clio Awards. Silver and bronze, in the same category, by the 2016 Addy Awards – District and Regional respectively.
It also was named ‘Best of Show’ at the 2016 AAU Spring Show.
The campaign was nominated for ‘2017 Student Contests’ by Lürzer's Archive Magazine. It was featured online and appeared in the Vol 6/16 issue on November 2016 as well.
They risked everything. Gave all they had. Endured smugglers, rough seas, hunger, sickness and death. Some even made it. Only to be kept out. Blocked. Kicked. Battered. Humiliated. Walls have been put up. Trains stalled. Gates closed. Xenophobia turned to full blast.
STRATEGY
THE CULTURAL CONTEXT
Preaching To The Choir
In 2017, the refugee debate was deadlocked. The "Pro" side used statistics (which felt cold), and the "Anti" side used fear (which felt personal).
We realized that showing more sad photos wasn't changing minds; it was just preaching to the choir.
To mobilize the "moveable middle," we needed to reframe the conversation entirely.
THE STRATEGIC INSIGHT
"Conservative Voices vs. Conservative Values"
Our research found a cognitive dissonance in our target audience (conservative demographics): they opposed "immigration" politically, yet deeply valued "hospitality" and "sanctuary" religiously.
THE PIVOT
Instead of arguing politics, we used their own trusted sources (religious texts, historical figures) to create a mirror.
THE EXECUTION
We placed the campaign in "unexpected" environments (conservative newspapers, Fox News adjacencies), using a stark, textual approach that forced the viewer to confront the contradiction between their political stance and their moral code.
THE CAMPAIGN ARCHITECTURE
The "Trojan Horse" Media Buy
We would purposely targeted media outlets that typically skewed anti-refugee. By placing pro-humanity messages in these spaces, we would disrupt the echo chamber and generate significantly higher engagement than traditional "safe" placements.
Ultimately achieving the goal of The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to make people think and start a conversation.
Visual Silence
In a media landscape screaming with noise, we chose silence.
The campaign utilized negative space and stark typography to create a "pause" moment, forcing the reader to actually process the message rather than scroll past another distressing image.
THE IMPACT
Originally conceptualized as a student initiative, the campaign achieved professional-grade resonance, organically sparking conversation in polarized communities by reframing the crisis from a 'political issue' to a 'human obligation.'
Recognition
Awarded Bronze at the Clio Awards, Silver at the Addy Awards, and Best in Show at the AAU Spring Show in San Francisco, validating the strategy's ability to cut through the noise.
Cultural Reach
Featured in Austrian magazine, Lürzer's Archive, amplifying the message to a global audience of influence.
Narrative Shift
Garnering industry accolades despite its academic origins, the campaign sparked conversation internationally.
