Based on true story. This case is not just a music video: it is public message against bullying, disregard by authorities and denial of LGBT in Belarus. The collaboration between transgender person and finalist of Eurovision contest allowed us to speak loudly in the country where the majority denies the existence of transgender people. The creative idea was to use a well-known folk song about relations of mother and daughter and make it a story of daughter born in the body of a boy. The heart-breaking climax reveals the mother (real doctor) assisting in gender reassignment surgery of her daughter.

150 million children from 13 to 15 y\o around the world become victims of physical abuse in school (*according to the UNICEF study).

This issue is particularly acute for homosexual and transgender teenagers.

Thousands of LGBTQI* people in Belarus face bullying and violence every year.

One of them, Mikhail Pischevsky, was killed as the result of homophobic attack. At the same time, society and government are ignorant towards LGBTQI* rights.

Eurovision music contest finalist in Belarus, band Shuma, had a song telling the story of mother and daughter relations. We made it a story about transgender girl.

We used music video of Belarus Eurovision song contest finalist, band Shuma.

Their song “Clouds” was based on a folk story about mother and daughter relations.

The band agreed to change the original plot and devote it to real transgender girl from Minsk and her relations with her mother.

The words did not change: it’s a talk between mother and daughter.

The daughter explains that she will live and love whom she loves, no one can teach her how to live.

The video made the story look absolutely different and striking: the girl was is born in a boy’s body.

How can one find his nature and live with it without pain and bullying?

The communicational breakthrough was also reached by target audience. We addressed the message to parents of LGBTI* teenagers, launching #superparents movement that helps adults to unite and stand together against bullying and help children.

• Data gathering

150 million children from 13 to 15 y\o around the world become victims of physical abuse in school (* according to the UNICEF study). This problem is particularly acute for homosexual and transgender teenagers.

Thousands of LGBTI* people in Belarus face bullying and violence every year.

One of them, Mikhail Pischevsky, was killed. Society and government ignore LGBT people.

• Target audience (consumer demographic/individuals/organisations)

Primary: parents of homosexual and transgender teenagers

Secondary: mass media, society, public organizations and NGO

• Approach

Use Eurovision song contest participant to deliver the message.

• The film is based on a true story of Valeria Shendera - transgender girl from Belarus. She agreed to participate in the project, and you can see her starring in the final shot. The campaign was supported with series of her interviews.

• On November, 26th video was published on Shuma's music band YouTube channel. On December, 1th the song was presented on the Shuma's music band live concert. On February, 18th video was published on our creative agency YouTube channel.

• While major national Belarus mass media were present at the press conference, none of them could report about #superparents movement on air because of censorship. There were about 30 reports in Ukrainian media. But the buzz on social media Facebook, Vkontakte and YouTube was huge, 359066262 people.

• Common scale is 16783218,27 people.

• Reach

Common scale is 16 783 218 people. "Clouds" started as a social media flashmob in Belarus. The video gradually has reached earned media and social media as in countries of initiative, so and far abroad, in Germany and Italy.

• Engagement

The music video launched #superparents movement that unites LGBT parents sharing their stories and experiences. It is supported by the TERGO representatives from Ukraine, the Community Center parent group from Belarus and Amnesty International.

• Impact

The trick to use the collaboration of the Eurovision finalist and a transgender worked: we’ve found perfect media to break through reluctant society. The message was transmitted: we were heard by millions of those who pretended that there were no LGBT people in Belarus. #superparents broke the silence and initiated public discussions about transgender people and their status in the state and society.