Campaign wins Silver Lion at Cannes
Winning at Cannes is always an honour but winning a Silver Lion for Raising the Roof is especially significant
because of the importance of the cause, and the great Partnership we’ve had with them
JUDY JOHN, CEO AND CHEIF CREATIVE OFFICER, LEO BURNETT CANADA
Raising the Roof’s national public education campaign, Homeless Youth have nothing but Potential, received international acclaim when Leo Burnett Toronto won a Silver in the Press competition for its “Chair” print ad at the prestigious 58th International Festival of Creativity in Cannes this June. (See Campaign Gallery below, “Armchair Print”.) The campaign also took Silver at the 2011 Marketing Awards for its “Look Down Here” ambient poster.
Raising the Roof and pro bono partner Burnett launched the thought-provoking national campaign on February 21, 2011. It included TV and radio public spots, ads in newspaper and magazines, transit stations and shelters, movie theatres, restaurant washrooms, elevators, outdoor billboards, facebook banner ads and much more. All advertising space was donated.
2011 Radio Ad - IMAGINE
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2011 Radio Ad - IMAGINE
2011 Radio Ad - OSCAR
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2011 Radio Ad - OSCAR
Our 2009 national research report "Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions" observed "There are many misconceptions about street-involved youth. Prejudice and stereotyping are common and there is little understanding of the social and economic impact of failing to address the issue. Public education will be an important element of any strategic response."
Our national public education campaign has been part of Raising the Roof's commitment to help build understanding and empathy around the issue of youth homelessness and create momentum for change.
The campaign focused not on how homeless youth got to where they are, but where they can and want to go in life – their potential.
Using everyday objects such as an armchair, a plant and a potato, international ad agency, Leo Burnett created a series of compelling TV and radio spots, print, social and outdoor media messages that each pose a simple, powerful question."If you can see the potential in an abandoned chair/a withering plant/a humble potato…why not in a homeless youth?"
Each campaign element closes with a call to "Learn. Support. Act", pointing to both our website and our facebook page for more information.
"…When we get young people off the sidewalks, out of the alleys and away from bad influences, we are getting them on a path to education, employment and hope."
Leo Burnett Toronto and their marketing services division, Arc Worldwide provide their clients with brand building holistic communications. Leo Burnett Toronto is part of Leo Burnett Worldwide, which today operates a global network of over 200 operating units and 94 full-service advertising agencies in 83 countries and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Publicis Groupe (www.publicis.com). In February 2010, Leo Burnett accepted Raising the Roof as a pro-bono client, for the creation of a public education campaign, Homeless youth have nothing, but potential.