Reality TV is popular throughout the world, ironically offering a momentary break from the rigours of the real world – climate change and social and economic inequality. Real world information that we don’t like to face.
“Today it´s easier than ever to avoid information. And parallel to this, free press is being questions by many un-democratic forces around the globe. We need to remind people of the importance of facts over fiction. Ignorance is a terrifying thing,” stated Erik Larsson, president of Reporters Without Borders, Sweden.
But a new campaign, Keep up with reality, urges people to turn their attention back towards reality, no matter how harsh it may be. For the creative executions, agency Åkestam Holst NoA combined popular reality TV show titles with press images from around the world – including work from Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Sergey Ponomarev and Pulitzer Prize-nominated photographer Wissam Nassar. With escapism on the rise, the ads hope to acknowledge the widening gap between fiction and fact – and get people to reflect on their own media consumption habits.
“Many of the photographers were in the line of fire, or off the grid. So, we waited on hold, often for months. With an idea like this, there is not cutting corners,” notedTiago Pinho, creative at Åkestam Holst NoA.
“Even if access to journalism is greater than ever, public engagement with hard news is declining. As light entertainment and reality tv dominate the global attention span, we wanted to snapshot this paradox and stop people in their tracks,” addedJoakim Khoury, creative director at Åkestam Holst NoA.
The print and outdoor campaign has launched at a moment of heightened urgency. Reporters Without Borders yearly Press Freedom Index will be announced in a few weeks, previewing alarming statistics – and showing a decline in global press freedom. In this context, the Keep up with reality message serves as both a cultural warning and a call to action. Press freedom only matters, if people are paying attention.
Credits:
Client: Reporters Without Borders Sweden
President: Erik Larsson
Head of Operations: Katarina Carlsson
Project Manager: Haddy Foon Wendin
Creative Agency: Åkestam Holst NoA
Creative Directors: Joakim Khoury & Daniel Vaccino
Creatives: Tiago Pinho & Aidaras Lavrinovičius
Business Director: Jesper Ander
Account Manager: Bella Lagerquist
Head of Design & Craft: Hugo Wallmo
Final Art: Anna Forsberg
Photographers: Jacky Naegelen, Sergey Ponomarev, Wissam Nassar, Ahmad Salem & Karim Sahib
Production: BT Studio
Retoucher: Stefan Karlström
Media Partner: Ocean Outdoor
