Why ‘Peace Star’ shone bright for Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney at D&AD White Pencil Awards

| | 10 Comments

peace star.jpgAs revealed by CB last week, Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney was the only Australasian entry to make the cut at the inaugural D&AD White Pencil awards in London, with a brave and audacious campaign to launch a satellite into space.

The campaign is one of just eight entries globally to be given “in-book status” for the award – voted for by D&AD’s awarded members. Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney is the only agency from Australasia to receive this honour.

The-Peace-Star.jpgThe brief was to create global awareness of Peace Day, and to maintain this awareness on an

ongoing basis. To spread the message of Peace Day in a way that was impossible to ignore,

Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney looked to the skies for inspiration, devising a prominent annual

feature the whole world could see.

The agency proposed launching a ‘Peace Star’ satellite into space, using simple and available

technology.

Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney ECD Damon Stapleton says the objective of the Peace Star was to

bring the global community together to celebrate Peace Day.

Says Stapleton: “It may sound crazy, but launching a satellite is actually completely achievable and not very expensive, There are already over 35,000 satellites orbiting earth.

“We wanted to encourage interaction both locally and globally. Local communities could gather together to view the star – and hopefully build new connections and discuss world issues with their friends and neighbours. On a global level, the world could interact on Twitter to see updates and share their experiences.”

The satellite would feature prominent LED lighting, which could be activated remotely once a

year on Peace Day. The lights would make it a dazzling feature in the night sky.

The Peace Star would complete a 24 hour orbit of the earth, allowing everyone on the planet

to see it on the same day.

The White Pencil is awarded to a creative idea with the potential to effect real change in the

world. The brief was to solve a communications problem for a non-profit organisation or

established cause. The idea should demonstrate the capacity to raise awareness and change

behaviour around that cause.

The award was won by Leo Burnett Chicago for their project Recipeace, a social movement designed to bring people together over a shared meal.

The winner was selected by an esteemed panel of judges at the Royal Institute in London, chaired by Lord David Puttnam, and was awarded last Tuesday (27 November, 2012).