Best use of media – ever: Paris-Saint-Germain striker, Zlatan Ibrahimović, is the (actual) poster for the UN’s World Food Programme campaign, #805millionnames.
…no, you haven’t misread the statement. He may also be the poster boy for the cause, but he has agreed to be the poster – literally – for the WFP campaign.
Ibrahimović has agreed to temporarily tattoo his body with the names of 50 of the 80 million hungry people whom WFP assists globally. And 50 of the 805 million (that’s 1 in 9) people in the world who need help to overcome hunger.
Forsman & Bodenfors – or as you know it, the most awarded advertising agency in 2014 – worked pro bono on the campaign, #805millionnames, with film production company, Newland, and media integration agency, Matter.
Be On/AOL and Lundgren & Lindqvist also gave pro bono support to make the campaign a reality. In fact, “The cause is very important so the whole team is happily working on a Sunday pro bono to bring this to as many people as possible.”
Millions of people watch Ibrahimović’s body when he plays. That’s a heck of a lot of reach for an endorsement campaign.
“Wherever I go people recognise me, call my name, cheer for me. But there are names no one cares to remember. That no one cheers for: the 805 million people suffering from hunger in the world today,” Ibrahimović commented.
“I have supporters all over the world. From now on, I want this support to go to the people who suffer from hunger, they are the real champions. So whenever you hear my name, you will think of their names.”
The 50 names are symbolically representative of the 80 million people currently assisted by WFP in crises in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, Central African Republic, the Ebola-affected countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as in Bolivia, Cambodia, and Democratic Republic of Congo where WFP helps to build resilience.
Ibrahimović played in the match on Saturday February 14 with the names of people such as Carmen, Mariko, Antoine, Sawsan, Chheuy, Lida, Siatta, Rahma, Yaae who receive food assistance tattooed temporarily on his body to highlight hunger and what WFP is doing about it.
“Each one of the 805 million people suffering from hunger in the world has a name, a voice, a story to share,” explained Marina Catena, WFP director for France and the Principality of Monaco.
“Zlatan accepted the challenge and wished to carry their stories on his own skin so that the world does not forget them.”
The video’s director was Gustav Johansson, who also directed F&B’s Vintersaga for Volvo. Production company, New Land, worked pro bono on the campaign.
The awareness campaign has also gained the support of Paris-Saint-Germain as well as the Paris-Saint-Germain Foundation. The Foundation has been active since 2000 and focusing on a wide range of dedicated programmes involving children. All these programmes reach up to 10,000 children per year in Paris and its suburbs.
“The Paris Saint-Germain Foundation is a very important part of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club’s larger project. Our work focuses on people in difficulty whether it is, for example, at Hospital Necker for children, helping out of school teaching programmes, simply offering
vacation or various programmed activities in the Parisian suburbs,” noted Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, chairman and chief executive officer of the club and President of the PSG Foundation.
“We are building a great football team and we wish that the values of solidarity and help that are foundations of our team are also shared towards people in greater needs. ‘Dream bigger’ is PSG’s motto and so we have decided to support our football player Ibrahimović and WFP in this innovative campaign to raise global awareness on the fight against hunger.”
Hunger Facts:
1. About 805 million people, or one in nine, worldwide do not have enough to eat.
2. In 2015, WFP aims to provide 17.12 billion daily rations in 150 projects to about 78 million people in 76 countries.
3. In 2014, WFP bought food from 93 countries worldwide (75 developing and 18 developed countries) valued at US$1.26 billion (2.2 million metric tons).
4. WFP has greater logistical capacity and operates a larger transport network than any other humanitarian organization. On any given day, 5,000 trucks and 50 aircraft, 30 ships are delivering food across the globe.
5. WFP relies entirely on voluntary contributions for its operations.
