Oxfam has launched its latest legacy campaign, as it encourages activists to “stay in the fight” and continue to fight for causes important to them.
Shot on location in London, UK and Nairobi, Kenya, the inspiring film brings to life a story where protester Edith tells her grandchildren about her youth. How she used to protest with her friends, the ‘naughty’ things they’d write on their placards and how they would “give them hell” when they got there.
As she talks, we cut to what appears to be black and white flashbacks of her youth. The film builds to a crescendo when Edith reveals that she doesn’t protest anymore, but that she’s still in the fight! As she does, we reveal that it isn’t her youth in London that we’ve been seeing flashbacks of, but present day in Nairobi, Kenya, where another young protestor, Joyce, is on her march with her friends – drawing parallels between legacies and present-day activism.
To learn more about the film and the campaign behind it, we spoke to Rick Dodds, Creative Partner at Don’t Panic, the agency behind it all.
What was the brief?
This was the first TV brief that Oxfam has done for many years; nearly a decade. They wanted to do something that talked directly to their potential legacy audience, but at the same time did a job to refresh the brand.
Back in the day, Oxfam was seen as the rebellious, punchy, taking life by the scruff of the neck, type of brand. But in recent times it has lost that swagger and tone. So they wanted this new campaign to invigorate the brand and take it back to its core rebellious roots.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
Quite early on we watched loads of ads that were targeting an older audience, and we noticed the tone across them all. It was all very quiet, even patronising at times. It was like you could only engage the older generation in hushed, gentle tones because of their age. We also looked at wider culture and saw a trend of this generation being marginalised and portrayed as “old and weak”.
We knew this to be far from the truth. A quick google and you can see what this generation has always been; fighters. They were the original protest generation. They were masters of having their voices heard, standing up for their rights and fighting for what they believed in. Just because they’re in their later years, doesn’t mean that this fighting spirit is any less true today as it was back then.
So we decided early on that we were going to do something bold and powerful. To celebrate this generation for who they are. Afterall, it’s this fighting spirit that’s going to inspire them to leave money in their will.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
As an agency we always involve people with lived experience into the creative process. Whether we’re talking about homelessness in the UK (See Shelter “Brave Face”) or living without water in Malawi (see WaterAid “First Cup”). This brief was no different.
So we had creatives living in the global south join brainstorms so we could gain insight on how “being in the fight” would look in countries like Kenya. We also brought in people in their sixties and older to sense check the work we were writing. To ensure we were getting details of their generation right and portraying them in a real and credible way.
What was the production process like?
There was definitely an easier way to have made this film, but it wouldn’t have had the rich levels of authenticity that the final film had.
When it came to production, we started at the end. We knew we wanted a real protester and a real protest. It took some time to find the right person but as soon as we met Joyce (the protestor in Nairobi) we knew we had found our perfect partner. Joyce was so passionate about climate change and was organising regular protests in Kenya about it.
Working with her, we managed to film her and her friends preparing for a protest as well as the real protest itself. We then worked backwards from there and cast a person in the UK who could feasibly be the “older version” of Joyce. Olivette, the UK grandmother in the film, also had a history of going on her own protests, so she was able to bring real truth to the words and the story she tells.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
Anything with real people can be difficult to predict. Throw in a real protest with thousands of real people in another continent - and you’ve got a challenge on your hands! We were all lined up to shoot the real protest in Nairobi when the organisers decided to move the protest by a month.
This meant that the whole production had to be rescheduled. When it finally came to filming the real protest, we knew we had to be meticulous in every detail of it. So we planned it out perfectly. We scouted all the locations we would film from, getting access to the right vantage points and ensuring we had the right lenses with us to capture a real protest featuring thousands of real people.
Then on the morning of the actual protest, the organisers had to change the route to the other side of the city - meaning that all our pre planning was thrown out of the window. The team had to react on the ground to the situation live to ensure we got the shots to tell our story.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
We were filming the protest with a few thousand people in front of the camera marching and chanting. It was quite electrifying to be honest. But the interesting thing was, if you swung the camera round the other way, there were even more people watching us filming! The whole street was packed with people cheering us on!
After the protest finished the crowd who were watching carried on the chants and you could even hear the chanting ringing from the flats in the tall buildings surrounding the streets - it was quite the experience.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
The main message is one of global unity. That only by standing together can we face the world’s toughest challenges with confidence that we can win the fight. And nobody has more right to be in that fight than the generation who have always known how to stand up for what they believe in.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
We pitched for the project about 12 months ago now. This script was actually in that pitch and has remained unchanged since we first wrote and presented it. The biggest challenge has been how we made it. That is what has taken the time. We could have cheated and faked it; which would have been faster but also much less authentic, real and powerful.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
This whole campaign is a return to the fighter spirit of the Oxfam brand. Returning this iconic name to what it does best - provocative and powerful ideas that get important issues in front of people.
Oxfam is a very special organisation doing very important work. This campaign is just the first step towards an exciting future for them as they bring more powerful work to the world.
Credit list for the work?
CREDITS
CAMPAIGN: “Back In My Day”
BRAND: Oxfam
Individual Engagement Director // Johnty Gray
Head of Media // Jon Slater
Head of Legacy Engagement // Sinem Bilen-Onabanjo
Legacy Engagement Manager // Claire Barber
Legacy Engagement Manager // Corine Jones
Legacy Engagement Executive // Rosie Blake
AGENCY // Don’t Panic @dontpanicldn
Founder // Joe Wade
Strategic Partner // Ellie Moore
Strategist // Anna Petrescu
Creative Partner // Rick Dodds
Creative // Georgia Stephenson
Creative // Katie Richardson
Client Partner // Jane Marshall
Head of Client Services // Georgia Williams
Senior Account Manager // Harriet Alway
Executive Producer // Jennifer Clare Houlihan
Producer // Chloe Shaw
Junior Producer // Ani Bosco
PR // FINN Partners
PRODUCTION COMPANY // SMUGGLER
Director // Ebeneza Blanche
DOP: Levien Priem
Producer: Luca Chapman
LONDON:
Production Manager: Rabia Glynn
Location Manager: Kevin Walsh
1st Ad: Tom Wynborne
2nd Ad: Niomi Collins
Runner: Darnell Joseph
Runner: Ted Clay
Runner: Monty Chaudoir
1st Ac: Ben Worthington
2nd Ac: Laurence O’brien
Dit: Vlad Martins
Grip: Carl Dunn
Camera Car Driver: Gary Smith
Video Playback: Von Adams
Sound Recordist: Don Nelson
Gaffer: Shaun Clarke
Electrician: Cieran Nash
Electrician: Anna Brooks-Beckman
Production Designer: Jade Adeyemi
Art Stylist: Martha Howe
Art Assistant: Zoe Oshay
Wardrobe Stylist: Gabbi Edmunds
Make-Up & Hair Stylist: Nicole Milton
Medic: Lorna Murphy
Catering: Lords Of Poke
Minibus Driver: Mark Righelato
Minibus Driver: Lee Righelato
Honey Wagon Driver: Ryan Bryne
Wardrobe/ Hmu Split: Garath Playford
Casting: Ali Fearnly Casting
Nairobi:
Service Producer: Guy Wilson
Production Manager: Tina Kabuthu
Production Assistant: John Kibui
Production Intern: Nicole Wanja
1st Ad: Chris Kimunya
1st Ac/Dit: Ishmael Azeli
2nd Ac: Judith Kemboi
Sound Recordist: Edna Bonareri
Locations Manager: Tony Rimwah
Art Director: Shiku Mbugua
Art Assist: Evans Marigi
Gaffer: Paul Atoni
Genny Operator: Anthony Wachira
Lighting Assist 1: Victor Kamonde
Talent:
Kenya
Joyce: Joyce Koech
Supporting Activists: Isaiah Kilerai, Clive Donnley, Orieny Japheth, Bill Omondi, Michelle Ouko,
Doreen Amukoya
UK
Edith: Olivette Cole-Wilson
Grandson 1: Alexandre De Assuncao
Grandson 2: Edosa Osemwenkha
Grandson 3: Eghosa Osemwenkha
Granddaughter 4: Imaani Davis
Post-Production:
Offline Edit/Rushes: Cabin Edit
Editor: Amber Saunders
Edit Producer: Kayt Hall
Vfx & Clean-Up: B.Art Vfx
Vfx Producer: Natali Borte
Sound Designer & Composer: Hugo Ellingham @ Brother Music
Sound Producer: Cleo Jackson @ Brother Music
Colourist: Jason Wallis
Post House: Etc
Post-Producer: Olivia Jessop
Film Scanning: Cinelab
