Homophobic attacks have risen again in Poland. The LGBTQIA+ community feels fear walking through the streets. As a result, LGBTQIA+ activists hung the rainbow flag on Warsaw monuments to protesting against the anti-LGBT policies of president, Andrzej Duda. They were arrested and charged. Then police aggression escalated against those taking part in protests to support the arrested activists.
Zalando, Europe’s leading online platform for fashion, has joined forces with Polish fashion brand, MISBHV, and the NGO, Campaign Against Homophobia, to amplify the voices of victims. Their campaign, by 180heartbeats + JUNG v. MATT, is a range of clothes – items reborn from damaged clothing worn by LGBTQIA+ people during the attacks. “Clothes reborn with pride”, according to the campaign.
The campaign film was published on the social media channels of all partners to empower the voice of the LGBTQIA+ community which is being persecuted in Poland and reveal the dangers faced on a regular basis all over the country.
“Our campaign amplifies their voices reaching a much wider audience,” explained Tomasz Bujok, creative director at 180heartbeats + JUNG v Matt agency “By repairing these clothes and giving them a second life, we wanted to give courage to our heroes. And to open the door to greater acceptance for the entire LGBTQIA+ community in our country. It’s a very brave move for Zalando to take up this topic during these horrible times.”
The film triggered a wave of hate speech aimed at the LGBTQIA+ community. Governmental, conservative media, publishing materials related to the campaign, wrote about “German capital supporting homosexuals in Poland”.
In addition to dedicating clothes to the LGBTQIA+ community in Poland, the Zalando brand has decided to support it by sponsoring selected programs run by Campaign Against Homophobia. These support victims of violence seeking legal and psychological support.
“It is extremely important that widely recognised brands, such as Zalando, engage in social campaigns and speak out about discrimination,” noted Jakub Lendzion from the Campaign Against Homophobia.
The campaign will also include a series of podcasts, in which the heroes of the main film tell their stories. The re-designed clothes have been returned to their owners and were featured in a series of photographs by Zuza Krajewska, known from such social projects as Vote Together, #sexedPL, and Surplus.
Credits:
Agency: 180heartbeats + JUNG v. MATT
Chief Creative Officer & Partner: Mikołaj Sadowski
Creative Director: Tomasz Bujok
Art Director: Adrian Zwierzyński
Copywriter: Kamil Kuć
Strategy Planner: Artur Leśniak
Managing Director: Magdalena Kozanowska
Business Director: Radosław Smorga
Account Executive: Katarzyna Guzik
Social Media & PR Director: Dawid Kaźmierczak
PR Manager: Magdalena Łukasiuk
Junior PR Specialist: Hanna Gnatowska
Production Company: F25 Production House
Director: Mikołaj Sadowski
DOPs: Dominik Panasiuk & Igor Połaniewicz
Focus Puller: Sebastian Obuchowicz
Grip: Paweł Satala
Sound on set: Maniek Dziedzic
Gaffers: Łukasz Gaweł & Grzegorz Miłej
MUA: Olivia Nowicka
Sound Post Production: Głośno, Darek Podhajski & Ania Bielińska
Producer: Marcin Dworucha & Monika Wagner
Production Manager: Olek Kmiecik
Production Coordinator: Anna Oryl
Production Assistant : Małgorzata Szmist
Post Production: F25 Production House
Editing: Marek Skorupski
Online: Radek Kozera, Jan Obrębowski & Piotr Gaudasiński
Client: Zalando
