Helping to mark International Human Rights Day (12/10), Amnesty International has once again joined forces with ad agency Cossette to launch its annual “Write for Rights” campaign—an initiative that proves writing really can set people free.
Every year, thousands of people around the world take part in this global movement by writing letters of solidarity to individuals unjustly imprisoned and denied their most basic rights. The results speak for themselves: over 75% of cases supported by the organization result in a release.
This year’s campaign in it 25th edition puts a spotlight on that real-world impact. Cossette and Amnesty are sharing the powerful stories of people who regained their freedom thanks to past letter-writing efforts. Using striking visuals, the campaign recreates the emotional moments of their release through portraits illustrated entirely with typewriter characters. Each image, crafted by U.K.-based artist James Cook, is infused with authentic excerpts from the very letters that helped change their fate.
“James’s work immediately spoke to us. The idea of reconstructing these real moments of liberation using the very words that made them possible beautifully captures the emotional force of writing,” said Philippe Leblanc, art director at Cossette.
The campaign began running across Quebec in late November and will continue to mid-January, with placements in local out-of-home, print, and radio media. This film captures the essence and spirit of the campaign.
