"2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, and 2024 is on track to be even worse". This statement was the cornerstone of why this campaign was important. The world was, and still is, failing those who put their lives on the line to help those in crisis. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is being ignored with impunity, and the consequences are devastating: hospitals, schools, and aid convoys are being bombed; and civilians and humanitarian workers are being killed in shocking numbers.
For World Humanitarian Day 2024, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) called on us to demand accountability, not just for highly visible crises like Gaza and Ukraine, but for multiple conflict zones around the world where these violations are occurring. The campaign needed to do more than raise awareness, it had to call out global leaders, expose the impact of these violations, and mobilise public pressure for action.
The campaign’s objectives were to:
With UNGA 2024 in New York, we saw a critical opportunity to speak directly to world leaders. By combining digital storytelling with strategic media placements, we ensured they couldn’t ignore the call to #ActForHumanity.
The campaign needed to be inescapable (physically, digitally, and emotionally) so we executed a high-impact, multi-channel strategy that made accountability impossible to ignore.
1. A Confrontational Creative Approach That Cut Through the Noise
To break through compassion fatigue, the campaign leaned on bold storytelling and stark visuals. The hero film, narrated by Syrian refugee and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Muzoon Almellehan, was designed to make leaders confront the human cost of their inaction. Through striking typography and emotional urgency, it forced them to acknowledge the consequences of ignoring IHL violations.
The “This Was…” photographic series reinforced this message by showcasing hospitals, schools, and homes destroyed in conflict—places that should have been protected under IHL but were instead targeted. The visual approach gave the audience concrete proof of these violations, ensuring that humanitarian law wasn’t just an abstract concept—it was real, and its consequences were devastating.
To rally global participation, we introduced a bold campaign symbol inspired by the "sensitive content" warning—a metaphor for the willful blindness of world leaders. This symbol was used dynamically across social media, animations, and digital billboards, urging people to see the truth and demand action.
2. A Strategic Media Buy to Reach Global Decision-Makers
Knowing that world leaders would be gathering for UNGA 2024 in New York, we secured high-profile media placements in key locations:
By placing these visuals directly in their path, the campaign ensured that decision-makers could not ignore it. This strategic alignment with UNGA transformed the campaign into a direct call to action at the highest level.
3. Digital Mobilization to Build a Global Movement
To maximize reach and public engagement, the campaign leveraged:
4. Challenges & Overcoming Them
One of the biggest challenges was cutting through the increasing noise of global crises. To overcome this, the campaign leveraged the urgency of real-time events and adapted content dynamically, ensuring relevance even in an ever-changing media landscape.
Another challenge was balancing emotional storytelling with actionable messaging. By combining visual symbolism, concrete statistics, and direct calls to action, the campaign avoided "shock fatigue" and instead drove meaningful engagement and pressure on decision-makers.
The result was a multi-dimensional campaign that reached decision-makers while mobilizing a global audience to demand accountability.
The Act for Humanity campaign exceeded expectations, driving both global awareness and direct action:
Why This Campaign Was a Success
The campaign did more than generate buzz, it amplified a critical conversation. Through strategic media placements, raw storytelling, and a powerful call to action, it placed the protection of humanitarian workers and civilians at the forefront of the global agenda. By mobilizing people worldwide, it reinforced that humanitarian principles must be upheld, now more than ever.
But the fight for accountability continues. As crises escalate and aid workers face increasing danger, this campaign stands as a reminder that protecting those who risk everything to help others is not optional: it is a shared global responsibility.
