“The International Student Fair Sao Paulo 2016 is the largest 2 day education fair event in Latin America. The fair provides the opportunity to meet several foreign institutions, talk to their representatives and get all the necessary information to have a successful international experience. Lots of courses will be offered, from High-School to doctoral, MBA, language course, technical schools and internships…”

Parents pour into the fair to find out about the best study-abroad opportunities for their children.

So Ogilvy Brazil and UNICEF set up a booth where parents found out about the “learning opportunities” given to millions of children.

The fake booth was called the ECA Exchange Programs – changing children’s lives. Actors posing as salespeople pitched programs like the Child Revolutionary Program, “where your child will be kidnapped and serve as a soldier in a real conflict”, the Work Experience Program where “your child will work as an unpaid intern in precarious situations like the dumpsite…” or the Adventure Camp Program, in which children cross minefields on foot.

The video #thereisstilltime in Portuguese), captured the responses of parents as their shock turns into a desire to help when the actors explain that these are not real programs, but are the experiences of real children.

The campaign marks the 25th anniversary of the Child and Adolescent Statute.

Campaign credits:

Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather Brazil

Chief executive officer: Fernando Musa

Creative director: Gonzalo Ricca

Art director: Frederico Gasparian

Copywriter: Renato Barreto

Production Company: Vetor Filmes

Director: Luiza Campos

Executive producers: Alberto Lopes, Paula Moraes & Chico Puech

Director: Murilo Baskerville