We explored common ground between Viacom and WITNESS, each with a strong belief in visual media as a force for change, and arrived at a solution: make a film about the power of video. We would stage large-scale projection experiences around New York City, breaking through the clutter with visual narratives that would tie together WITNESS and Viacom messaging, demonstrate the power of visual storytelling, and encourage viewers to get involved and tell their stories. Enabling us to transform New York buildings into large-scale video canvases, advanced projection mapping was a fitting and unique tech solution, taking us well beyond the industry-standard on-air PSA by creating a compelling and complete on-the-ground experience.

Designing for projection was a unique challenge, requiring large scale imaging developed around massive windows, curvatures and disconnected surfaces. Big, bold type and impactful imagery was consistent with the organizations’ joint goals of disruption and impact, and we employed a text highlight element to emphasize key words without breaking from each network's branding. Each projection narrative was paired with a unique and thematically complementary location (i.e., we staged the Logo LGBT piece in the neighborhood historically regarded as the birthplace of the gay liberation movement) to create a complete on-the-ground experience which stopped New Yorkers mid-commute to absorb and participate in the story. We filmed these real reactions to include in the PSAs, which aired across all eight involved networks and connected WITNESS to eight demographically distinct audiences. Both the projections and the PSAs drove viewers to a cobranded site where viewers could find the tools to tell their stories.

This was a multi-faceted campaign with massive global reach. The PSAs were translated into 4 languages and aired across 20 channels domestic and internationally, emphasizing WITNESS’s status as a global organization and Viacom’s status as a media company with an enthusiastic global audience. The PSAs aired a total of 5,622 times in 61 countries, and were viewed online in 161 total countries. The project earned significant press—from Yahoo, Adweek and MediaPost, to name a few—and the footage and messaging also found an extended life as a much-buzzed about installation at SXSW. All this comes in addition to the project’s incredible on-the-ground impact, as the projections themselves stopped hundreds of New Yorkers in their tracks to witness the power of story.