Back in February, 180LA launched an “Unfairy Tales” PSA campaign for Unicef with “Malak and the Boat,” a two-minute spot telling the story of a seven-year-old Syrian refugee. The campaign went on to gain widespread recognition, including a Grand Prix Lion for Good at Cannes.
Now, the agency has launched the next chapter of the campaign, with a pair of spots following up on the stories of Malak and another child, Mustafa, picking up on their stories one year later. The new spots arrive after 180 LA parted ways with David Povill and Dave Cuccinello, the creative directors on the “Unfairy Tales” campaign, earlier this month.
“Malak and the Boat One Year Later,” shows the young Syrian girl adjusting to life in Germany. She gets along well with classmates, has a new pet cat and a safe place to live, but still misses her home and her friends from Syria.
It’s nice to get an update on Malak’s story and see that’s she’s now safe and happy in Germany, as well as how welcoming her new community is. After the danger of Malak’s initial journey, viewers will be pleased to see a relatively happy ending to her story and the same can be said of 14-year-old Mustafa.
“Many people were touched by these films and wanted to know what happened to the children featured in the campaign,” 180 LA executive creative director Eduardo Marques said in a statement. “We’re happy to share they’ve found new homes in Germany, but we all need to be reminded that these kids need to be welcomed into their new community and no act of kindness is too small.”
“Nearly 50 million children are on the move – 28 million of them forced to flee their homes because of conflict. These children and their families are looking for stability, and a place to call home,” added UNICEF director of communication Paloma Escudero. “Across the world, people are showing acts of humanity to migrant and refugee children, welcoming them into communities and schools. These small acts of kindness can make all the difference to individual lives and we encourage more people to show empathy towards children on the move.”