Barnardo’s Aims To Help Children ‘Change Their Story’

Leading children’s charity Barnardo’s is launching ‘Change Their Story’, a new campaign that creatively adopts artificial intelligence to show how the organisation’s support can change lives for the better.

The campaign, created by BBH Dublin and running across Print, Out of Home and Radio, highlights the power of Barnardo’s to change children’s lives through early intervention. Designed to drive fundraising during current economic challenges, the campaign communicates the emotional journey children can travel through to early adulthood and how intervention from Barnardo’s can change the direction of their lives.

In order to be able to show an authentic journey through a troubled childhood, while protecting real-life cases, BBH Dublin enlisted a pioneering AI technique. Hundreds of facial expressions from a young man and woman were captured and fed into an AI model along with real-life images from their own childhoods. This allowed an accurate depiction of their ageing through childhood.

BBH Dublin then worked closely with Barnardo’s to select the best images that exemplify authentic feelings, representing each stage of a child’s potential journey, from vulnerability to fear and anger to despair. Until the most important image of all – a young adult with a look and feeling of genuine hope, thanks to the work of the charity.

Sam Caren, creative lead, BBH Dublin, said: “BBH has an amazing legacy with Barnardo’s so when they came to our Dublin office with the desire to create a campaign to rival the iconic ‘Life Story’ we were excited by the challenge.

“This work tells a complex story in a way that speaks a simple truth: Barnardo’s has heard every kind of life story a child can tell and with their intervention, and the public’s support, they can change these for the better.

“It was great to be able to help break ground with this use of AI, in a sympathetic and just way. This is only the first phase of a wider campaign that we can't wait to release.”

Mary Gamble, director of fundraising, marketing and communications from Barnardo’s said: “With this campaign, we’re shining a spotlight on our ambition to be there for every child - when and where they need us. Barnardo’s delivers services to thousands of vulnerable children across Ireland from birth right up to the age of 18. The interventions and support we provide can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Because Childhood Lasts a Lifetime.

“BBH has created a visual journey that perfectly captures our important work. Inspired by the scale of emotions we deal with every day, the campaign captures the story of the journey each child goes through and how early intervention, and the public’s support, can completely change the outcome for these young people.”

ENDS

CREDITS

CAMPAIGN TITLE: Change Their Story CLIENT: Barnardo’s
ADVERTISING AGENCY: BBH Dublin CEO: Karen Martin

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Felipe Serradourada Guimaraes CREATIVE LEADS: Sam Caren and Aubrey O’Connell
CREATIVES: Simran Sidhu and Katy David
PRINT CONCEPT: Marc Rayson and Callum Prior

STRATEGY LEAD: Simon Gregory / Darius Pasalar / Bethan Wotton BUSINESS LEAD: Amy Crowe
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Ciara Burke
PRODUCTION LEAD: Sally Kursa

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Yoke Productions
PRODUCER: Patrick Daly
PHOTOGRAPHER: Linda Brownlee @ East Photographic
AI CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIST: Alesandra Miro Quesada @ Prodigious DESIGNER: Anthony Jones

RETOUCHING: Tristan Zamula