Ok, so it’s another ad about a big corporation doing good. But wait until you see how the story is told.

Kenco is a coffee brand owned by Mondelez International. It’s helping youths in Honduras stay out of gangs by teaching them how to produce coffee. The Coffee vs Gangs pilot project in Honduras will take 20 young people at a crossroad in life who are at risk of entering a gang and create opportunities for them through education and training. Kenco is hoping to help develop the next generation of coffee growers.

Yes, that’s nice.

The Coca-Cola Company and its African bottling partners are set to invest US$5 billion over the next six years for long-term sustainable growth in Africa, too. The money will fund new manufacturing lines, cooling and distribution equipment and production. create additional jobs and opportunities across Coca-Cola’s African supply chain. And support key sustainability initiatives and programs focused on safe water access, sustainable sourcing, women’s economic empowerment, community well-being and operational efficiency improvements. That’s nice also.

And Cadbury is providing school children in Africa with bicycles and reading lights…

But this story not so much about the thought that counts. It’s about the creative execution that glues it into people’s heads.

JWT London’s execution – a TVC and cinema ad called Tattoos. The spot is a simple slice of life, albeit with magnificent pictorial qualities: teen in danger of joining a gang is channelled instead into Kenco’s farming project. But the story details are told – and the tension in the story is created – by animated tattoos on all the youths’ skins.

The video was directed by the RSA’s Johnny Hardstaff. For authenticity, most of the actors were street-cast from the locations where shooting took place. The main character is from Anonos, the town in which the ad was filmed, and had no acting experience prior to filming. The authenticity of the sound track was considered critical. Eclectic Music and Greek Street Studios worked on the music, mix and sound.

“We knew this was going to be good from the start but getting the right people involved is key. The whole project is in Honduras, so we listened to a lot of South American rap, folk and traditional music in order to discover the right elements for the track. For us it was about trying to make it sound like a proper record and that’s what helped us to keep the sound authentic,” Eclectic co-founder Simon Elms explained. The original music track was created by Honduran rapper, Socio and fellow rapper and writer, Dana Che.

Shame about the voiceover at the end. But these things happen…and in ads they tend to happen to get ads through.

The TV and cinema campaign launches on Monday 18 August, supported by digital video, PR, media partnerships, and an interactive website digital hub so users can explore specific project content.

Creative credits:

Advertising Agency: JWT London
Executive creative director: Russell Ramsey
Creative director: Jaspar Shelbourne
Art director: Matt Leach
Copywriter: Jess Oudot
TV producer: Carley Reynolds

Production Company: RSA
Director: Johnny Hardstaff
Executive producer: Annabel Ridley
Post production: Absolute
Editor: John Smith @ The Whitehouse
Sound: Dan Weinberg @ Greek Street Studios
Music: Colin Smith, Simon Elms @ Eclectic