HOPE VEST
We turned discarded refugee life vests into symbols of transformation. Through bold print, public installations, and an interactive digital archive, the campaign reframes refugees not as victims, but as visionaries — architects of resilience and change. Statues wore vests, viewers scanned stories, and perceptions were disrupted. Each vest became a living document of human potential — a bold idea that earned us a spot on the Eurobest 2024 shortlist.
Date
November 2024
Team
Martin Keipert & Michael Yousaf
The Challenge
IN THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION, REFUGEES ARE PROBLEMS RATHER THAN PEOPLE. THEIR POTENTIAL IS OVERSHADOWED BY SOCIETY’S VIEW OF THEM AS VULNERABLE. BUT BEHIND EACH STATISTIC IS A UNIVERSE OF UNTOLD DREAMS. REFUGEES ARE MORE THAN SURVIVORS — THEY ARE BUILDERS OF POSSIBILITY, RESILIENCE, AND CHANGE. THE HARDEST PART WILL BE CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: FROM FRAMING REFUGEES AS BURDENS TO RECOGNIZING THEM AS CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COMMON FUTURE WE ALL HOLD.
The Idea
LIFE VESTS, SYMBOLS OF SURVIVAL, BECOME MANUSCRIPTS OF TRANSFORMATION. EACH VEST TELLS A REFUGEE’S JOURNEY FROM CRISIS TO CONTRIBUTION. REFUGEES AREN’T VICTIMS — THEY’RE PEOPLE OF REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT. THE CAMPAIGN SHOWS OUR RESILIENCE, TALENTS, AND AMBITIONS.
The Solution
THE CAMPAIGN UNFOLDS ACROSS MULTIPLE CHANNELS. PRINT ADS AND BILLBOARDS FEATURE STRIKING LIFE VEST IMAGERY AND BOLD HEADLINES THAT CHALLENGE PERCEPTION. ICONIC STATUES WEAR LIFE JACKETS TAGGED WITH QR CODES EACH LINKING TO A REFUGEE SUCCESS STORY. LIFEVESTSTORIES.COM IS A DIGITAL ARCHIVE WHERE EVERY VEST MATCHES A STORY OF SURVIVAL AND TRANSFORMATION — A PLACE TO EXPLORE, SHARE, AND SUPPORT REFUGEE CAUSES THROUGH AUCTIONS
