Helpers-EU.com is not your traditional campaign, but rather a web series promoted by the European Union to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco.

In partnership with Daily Motion, but also with a Youtube channel the animated films are a fun way to inform young europeans, but also engaging them with the web series by allowing them to vote on the theme/tip for the next episode.

The series depicts 3 super-heroes who try to save smokers and non-smokers from the negative effects of tobacco, by giving them absurd tips and advice. Chuck, Skinny and Loona, accompanied by Tapas, a masochistic freak of nature that won’t leave them alone, unify their strengths for better or for worst.

You can also find the Helpers on Facebook and Beebo.

Advertiser:Help-EU
Agency:Ligaris

Cross-posted at Osocio.org

A short break on these holidays didn’t helped to pick up my regular posting schedule, as i forced myself to unwire my lifestyle. As i resume a lot of on-hold projects, and decide what to do in 2010 on this digital canvas, time to do a short mention to another place were my writing goes, Osocio.org, that has recently announced the nominees for Best Social Campaign of 2009:

- Message from the Gyre by Chris Jordan

- Storytelling: Choose a different ending by AMV BBDO for the London Metropolitan Police

- Watermarks make the flood visible by Chris Bodle

- The trillion dollar campaign by TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris for The Zimbabwean

- Before you turn away put yourself in my place by David & Goliath for the Weingart Homeless Center

- Just add water by Kennedy Monk for Yes Men + Bhopal Medical Appeal

- The smoking plant by Fischer America

- Contemporary beauty ideals by Ogilvy & Mather Frankfurt for ANAD

- Going west with the New Zealand Book Council by Colenso BBDO

- TubePetition by Mizbala

The winner is to be announced next week, and hopefully 2010 will bring a new fature: “Campaign of the Month”. For more details, check the original post at Osocio.org.

Land’s End is sponsoring this year the Big Boston Warm-Up, an effort to make the season warmer for the homeless people in the Boston area. Collecting one coat at a time (donated at Sears), but also setting up a beautiful website, developed by Firstborn NYC.

The infographic rich website also informs about the installation at Boylston Plaza with 738 figures waiting for a warm red heart, meaning that 10 people have donated coats for each figure.

Finally, do check the also special and personalized video after the jump.

Source: @brianjeremy

Cross-posted at Osocio.org

Many countries around the world have been implementing smoking bans as public health policy. In Brazil, the state of São Paulo has issued last month a ban on indoor smoking, with the usual controversy amongst citizens.

Instead of taking sides, ad agency Fischer and digitial agency PIX, elaborated the installation “The Smoking Plant”, where 2 plants on a glass case where placed side by side, but with one of the sunflowers exposed to cigarette smoke. The whole experiment was live on the Internet during the past 2 weeks, with the results shown on the video below:

During the 97 cigars smoked, the project updated the progress on Twitter and created a great amount interaction with users, offering also a screensaver to follow the experiment from the desktop.

Many thanks to Carlos Merigo, for hastily providing the video subtitled in English.

Credits
Agency: Fischer America
Interactive: PIX
Production: D3 Estudio
Film: Conspiração Filmes

Cross-posted to Osocio.org

From civil war to natural disaster, Mozambique has been plagued with an uncertain future. ImaginingMozambique.com brings to attention this daily struggle, exhibiting the works of several artists as an inspiration to the African country.

123Klan, Carlos Serrao, Catalina Estrada, Akinori Oishi, Balint Zsako, Florence Manlik, Giuliano and Federico, Marcos Chin, Matt Maitland, Parra, Superdeux collaboreted on this effort for ASEM, a charity founded to help the children of Mozambique.

On the website, developed by Studio Cartelle,  a firefly shotboux allows users to leave their messages of support to the cause, with a exhibition gallery featuring the works.
The traveling art show premieres 27th August at Maxalot Gallery, Amsterdam until 10th September, later residing in the offices of Wieden+Kennedy

Crossposted from Osocio

The story of the last great supply of fresh drinking water on Earth. The changes affecting the Great Lakes. A beautiful soundtrack for an epic journey. Now on the web, developed by Jam3, at http://waterlife.nfb.ca/

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Hot Docs 2009, the film is narrated by Gord Downie, featuring music by Sam Roberts, Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Rós, Robbie Robertson and Brian Eno.

Just enjoy. And think about it.

Source: Osocio

With Cannes Lions Advertising Festival starting to roll, maybe the ad people enjoying the sun and booze take a few minutes out of their time to reflect on a better way to spend their talents and convince the organization and rest of the industry on creating advertising that does make a difference, instead of using it as an excuse to get a piece of metal.

Last year, on a short Twitter exchange with Marc from Osocio on the subject of awards and social marketing, i replied:

We’re in the business of changing behaviours, not winning awards.

Fast forward to Cannes 2009, and on a great collaboration with the duo from StealOurIdeas.com, Osocio presents their draft concepts on how your brand should be used for the right reasons,

Every year hundreds of PSAs are done for the wrong reasons.
Help us to create social advertising that actually makes a difference.

The next time you catch a creative doing spoof work just to win awards, forward these concepts so he or she could get a few really noble ideas.

Interesting way of Greenpeace Brazil using their YouTube videos to spread the message on the effects of climate change.

Oceans (Ocean Level vs Global Temperature)

Climate Changes (Climate Change vs Global Temperature)

Biodiversity(Biodiversity vs Global Temperature)

Cross-posted at Osocio;
Source: Adivertido;
Agency: AlmapBBDO

Wake Up, Freak Out – then Get a Grip is an animated film about climate change by Leo Murray. A cry for help, before we reach a point of no return, after which the catastrophe will become inevitable.

Wake Up, Freak Out – then Get a Grip from Leo Murray on Vimeo.

In it, a harsh critic on the advertising industry, that persuades consumers to buy things they don’t need. The video is full of educational material, that you can find at the companion website wakeupfreakout.org, along with the film’s script, with extensive peer-reviewed references and additional information and links.

Wake Up !

This entry was cross-posted at Osocio, a blog on social advertising, where i’m a guest blogger.
And for those who appreciate round numbers, this was my 400th post here at A Source Of Inspiration.