“Incredible things happen when you believe in children,” FCB Inferno’s ad, Believe in Me, tells its audience on behalf of Barnardo’s.
And then it shows them.
The 60 second spot presents the stories of five children who have triumphed over some pretty awful situations. Children who don’t ask for sympathy, but instead demonstrate their resilience and display their pride. “I am not his little secret,” “I am not my 17 foster homes,” “I am not worthless,” the titles assert over clips that show their achievements –a ballerina pirouettes, a teenage boy plays the drums, a gymnast backflips…
Lorde’s song, Everybody Wants to Rule the World runs under the ad, intensifying its message.
The stories come from Barnado’s case studies and the young people featured in the ads are not actors. They were discovered in sports and youth clubs throughout the UK and chosen for their ability to deliver convincing and emotive performances.
The ad doesn’t ask for donation. Instead it asks its audience to “Believe in children,” and allows the power of the ad to finish the job.
Supporting the TVC are two online films. One of these features an extended cut of the ballerina’s performance and another, the teenage gymnast’s. The additional films weren’t part of the initial brief but were made using footage shot in one take during filming.
The ad is the first FCB Inferno has worked on for Barnardo’s and coincides with Barnardo’s 150th anniversary. In May last year, Barnado’s split with BBH, which had been its agency for 16 years. FCB Inferno won the subsequent pitch in February this year.
Credits
Agency: FCB Inferno
Chief creative officer: Owen Lee
Art director: Jack Walker
Copywriter: Ali Dickinson
Production company: Rattling Stick
Director: Sara Dunlop
Post production: The Mill
Audio post production: String and Tins
