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FCB Inferno launch inspiring “Believe In Me” brand platform for Barnardo's

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Barnardo's is celebrating it's 150th anniversary this year, and whilst the way they communicate their message of helping vulnerable children has undoubtedly changed over the years, the underlying strength and legitimacy of that message has remained very much the same. Hoping to lend a more powerful punch to the charity's recent creative output, FCB Inferno has created a new brand platform for the UK’s largest children’s charity, which goes right for the gullet. “Believe In Me” launches with an integrated campaign focusing on the incredible things that can happen when you cast aspersions aside and believe in children.

It will be launched across all media from today (September 23), and will be spearheaded by a TVC to coincide with Barnardo’s launching a new 10 year corporate strategy. Directed by Sara Dunlop, and produced by Rattling Stick, the film features five children whose lives have been transformed by Barnardo's. But simpering sob stories these are not! The narrative sees these children transform from victims to heroes, via inspiring quotes plastered across the screen as they show off their chutzpah for the camera, such as: “I am not his little secret,” “I am not the toys I never had,” “I am not my broken ribs,” “I am strong,” “I am free,” “I am proud,” and “I am unstoppable.” An evocative cover of Tears for Fear’s 80s classic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Lorde builds as their performances gain in confidence. Their five performances are dramatic reconstructions of true events, each representing a key focus of Barnardo’s care.

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Individual stories will also be found online, along with a deep-dive into the real case studies behind the campaign and the work Barnardo’s do across the UK. 60 and 40 second TVCs edit will run into November, as well as VOD and the 60” in cinema. A print campaign will run across national press and specific BME media from today. Media has been managed by John Ayling Associates, Dam Digital built the online Believe In Me hub and Stand is tasked with consumer PR. The Believe in me platform will also be distributed and used across the organisation by its 8,000 employees and in the 600 stores.

Barnardo’s Director of Policy and Comms, Gill Holmes, said: “We’ve been championing children for 150 years, because we believe a child’s future should never be defined their past. We are announcing a bold new brand campaign to support our charity in transforming the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and their families.” FCB Inferno CEO, Frazer Gibney, added: “Barnardo’s holds an unstinting belief in the resilience of children and their ability to turn their lives around. This campaign is built around that truth and, unlike so many charity ads, Believe in Me focuses on hope and potential rather than despair.”

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It's genuinely goose-bump-inducing stuff that steers clear of depicting the children featured as hopeless victims, which is unfortunately all too common in this sector of advertising. This is the first major piece of creative by FCB Inferno since the agency won the Barnardo's account from BBH back in February, and it certainly sees the agency starting as it means to go on!

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK.

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