More and more media organisations are being censored or closed and journalists arrested. These are drastic measures taken by oppressive regimes to limit freedom of press.
Serviceplan Campaign Hamburg is helping Reporters Without Borders Germany keep prohibited newspapers alive by turning the distinctive fonts of prohibited newspapers into symbols of press freedom and ditstributing them for use.
Serviceplan and Reporters Without Borders Germany reconstructed the house fonts of nine newspapers banned by governments in countries with a track record of suppressing freedom of press – Turkey, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Tanzania, Hungary and Russia. The fonts were then given to major German newspapers like Süddeutsche, Die Welt, TAZ and Augsburger Allgemeine. They used the Fonts for Freedom on their title and media pages along with matching topics. This way, every single daily became a symbol of press freedom.
Further initiatives followed: Reporters Without Borders Germany launched a demonstration against one of the most notorious enemies of press freedom – Turkish president, Erdoğan. When he visited Germany in 2018, he was confronted with billboards promoting press freedom as he left Berlin airport. The confronting headlines where set in exactly the fonts of the newspapers he had recently banned.
“We are very happy to create a platform together with Reporters Without Borders Germany to bring banned newspapers back in the public spotlight,” stated Serviceplan creative directors, Sön Becker and Eduard Hörner,
To give the campaign an even wider reach, billboards, posters and banners set additional statements for press freedom. All were using the fonts of previously banned newspapers.
Supporters of the Fonts for Freedom campaign could make a personal stand for press freedom online by writing their own statement using a Font for Freedom or supporting the charity with donations. On the website, there is a growing permanent archive for fonts of shut down newspapers. Everyone is invited to download or directly use these fonts to spread the message on the streets and on social media.
Credits:
Agency: Serviceplan Campaign Hamburg
Global Chief Creative Officer, Serviceplan: Alexander Schill
Managing Directors: Leif Johannsen & Patrick Matthiensen
Creative Directors: Soen Becker & Eduard Hoerner
Art Directors: Sarah Gstrein & Mojca Zavolovsek
Copywriter: Henrik Claus
Account Manager: Lennard Bahr
Digital Agency: Plan.Net Campaign Munich
Managing Director: Marcus Maczey
Art Director: Tammy Jajes
Account Manager: Marlene Ulmer
Media Agency: Mediaplus
Production: Instant Waves, NHB Next, Sehsucht & Neverest
Producer: Katrin Habermann
Sound Design & Music: Supreme Music
Type Design: bBox:
PR Agency: achtung!
Client: Reporters without Borders Germany
Communications Officer: Daniel Schmidthaeussler