Leading children’s charity Barnardo’s has shared a new campaign which uses AI to emphasise the power of early intervention, telling a story laced with expressions which transition over time.
Created with BBH Dublin, the campaign saw hundreds of facial expressions from a young man and woman fed into an AI model alongside real life images from their own childhoods.
The resulting assets show each stage of a child’s potential journey, with the images transitioning from vulnerability to fear and anger, before a final image which conveys a hopeful young adult highlights the impact the right intervention can have.
The campaign will run across print, out-of-home and radio, as part of efforts to ramp up fundraising.
“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,” said BBH Dublin creative lead Sam Caren.
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“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,” he added.
“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.”
Earlier this year, the charity tied up with Don’t Panic agency to create a film which highlighted the transformational impact its work can have for children facing the daily challenges that come with poverty.
Commenting on the latest campaign, Barnardo’s director of fundraising and communications Mary Gamble added: “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.”
