unicef: Reimagine The World Like a Gamer

As part of UNICEF’s global flagship Reimagine campaign, VaynerMedia London has collaborated with the organisation to launch ‘Reimagine the world like a gamer.’ This new campaign challenges viewers to think differently about refugee and migrant children by recasting them as lead characters in video games - full of ambition and adventure - rather than being labelled as victims. With the devastating effects of Covid-19 still taking their toll, UNICEF needed to create a new strategy designed to engage audiences differently - at a time when they may be facing personal, local, and global challenges. The campaign’s aim is to shift perceptions of refugees and migrants and encourage donations to the charity. Created by VaynerMedia London, the campaign’s hero film is a one-minute production shot remotely during lockdown in Greece, and brings to life the real stories of three children: Nora, Sama and Pouya. It explains their dreams for the future – to become a doctor, an author and a pilot – and calls on the audience to help them reach their goals with the headline: ‘Your New Mission: Unlock Their Potential’. While charity ads often focus on guilt and fear, these creative executions use the guise of gaming to help viewers see these children’s lives differently. Positioning the audience as though they are gamers themselves, the clip uses visuals often seen in video games (such as a heads-up display, or HUD) to mimic how video games audiences are primed to think beyond conventional limits and borders. By doing so, viewers can see the innate potential in these children, rather than just the confines of their current situation. In addition to the campaign work, VaynerMedia London has been collaborating with UNICEF and Gameloft to create a digital mini game, with the children starring in the campaign as the main characters. The ‘Reimagine’ campaign, including the minigame, launches today across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as well as via paid banner ads.