AMSTERDAM – October 11 is International Day of the Girl – a day advocated by the United Nations since 2012 as a day to address the needs of girls. Focusing on the challenges faced by girls, globally, while promoting empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
On an international level, more than 2 million children are exploited and trapped in forced prostitution. Therefore, to mark the UN’s International Day of the Girl, NGO Free a Girl is launching a social experiment to draw attention to this problem. By bringing it closer to home.
Unlike usual awareness billboards featuring anonymous girls, this digital out-of-home billboard uses face swap technology to replace the face of a young girl sitting on a bed in an Indian brothel – with that of one of the girls passing by. Every girl in the experiment is accompanied by her mother, father or grandparents. Each of whom are confronted with the campaign message ‘Fight child prostitution as if she was your own’.
Evelien Hölsken, director and co-founder of Free a Girl: “With this campaign we’ve given the problem a face. The face of a girl who could be your daughter, sister or girlfriend. We want everyone to stand up for the girls who are exploited in prostitution.”
Increasingly immune to images of suffering
The campaign takes an impactful and ‘in-your-face’ approach to dealing with a key problem for NGOs and good causes: how do campaigns reach and convert the general public who is increasing desensitized to the ever-growing stream of miserable images?
Ysabelle Tierie, creative at DDB Unlimited, the agency behind the campaign, says: “In communication it’s always a challenge to break through the clutter. To generate impact. People get flooded by so many messages that almost nothing reaches them. Technology is one of the things that can help us break this barrier. This allows us to make our message relevant and personal. So that we can relate to other people’s situation. “
Opposing child prostitution worldwide
‘Fight child prostitution as if she was your own’ is the latest initiative by Free a Girl – an international organization dedicated to fight child prostitution and impunity – known for previous social campaigns such as 2017’s School for Justice in India. Free a Girl has rescued almost 4500 underage girls from prostitution since its inception 11 years ago.
CREDIT LIST
DDB unlimited:
Robin Poelmann – Creative
Ysabelle Tierie – Creative
Nelly de Wit – Senior Producer
Roel Grijspaardt – Senior Producer
Lars Noback – Editor
Esther te pas – Managing Director
Friso Ludenhoff– Creative Director
Maarten Vrouwes – Creative Director
Armando Markar – Assistant Producer
Springtide Studios – Cathelijn de Reede – PR
The Humblebrag – Jessica Hartley -Creative PR
More thanTV – Bart van Dam – Director en Creative Producer
Exterion Media – Lilian Hemmelder – Marketeer
Stadshart Amstelveen – Unibail Rodamco – location
Kees van Hattum – D.O.P./lighting cameraman & 1st. edits
Jeroen Mente – First Assistant Director
Matthijs Immink – Camera 2 & 1st location
Fred Tabois – Setdresser
Madelief van Dam – Production Ass. & Casting Guidance
Production Ass. – Freddy LLoyd
Post Office – VFX: Bram Vleugel & Bram Buddingh. Grading: Patcharee Sa-ardkitinun
Bridge Tone Sound – Dyno Hedges – Geluid en Sound Design
Dutch Casting – Jantien van Naarden – Casting
Cinecolor – Maarten Eshuis – DCP
Exterion – Julian Kleyweg – Digital Abri support
Tech53 – Brayan van Bronckhorst – Abri Programming
