2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Every year on The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia held on May 17th, activists and members of the LGBTQ+ community work to remind us of the inequalities that remain between the cishet majority, and the people who live and identify outside of societal norms.

This work is unfortunately still necessary. As around the world, LGBTQ+ people continue to face violence daily. And the statistics paint an even darker picture. Intolerance kills. Abuse and discrimination lead to suicides and murders. And their average life expectancy is reduced by years.

As a tribute to lives shortened by intolerance, a unique object was designed:
a watch that is short on time.

Ten copies were specifically engineered in Switzerland to alter the measure of time. Six seconds were removed, one for each colour of the Pride flag, making the watch lose a decade over one lifetime.

“When minutes are only 54 seconds long, time goes faster, years are shorter and lives end far too early. As long as there is violence, we must continue to educate and raise awareness,” says Laurent Breault, Executive Director of the Fondation Émergence.

On May 17, 2022, ten major public figures from the LGBTQ+ community, well-known allies and people in positions of power were given the opportunity to wear the watch and spread the word on their platforms - making them the ambassadors of the cause.

To make the watch accessible, a digital version of the 54-second watch was also made available for people to demonstrate their support.

As part of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, a print campaign featuring the watch was launched. To realistically represent people in the communities experiencing violence, a documentary approach was chosen using real pictures taken by photojournalists that show violent acts against
LGBTQ2+ persons all around the world.

The photos were edited by replacing the aggressors’ weapons with the seconds
hand of a watch, representing the impact intolerance has on the victim’s life expectancy. This also tied the campaign back to the 54-second watch. Five different executions were created and displayed on billboards, transit displays and posters, in both Montreal and Toronto.

The campaign was translated into over 20 languages and broadcast by organizations dedicated to the protection of LGBTQ+ people all around the world.

The public overwhelmingly supported the cause by signing a petition asking the
UN to make May 17th official.

Canadian politicians immediately took notice. Members of Parliament, senators, party leaders, and the Premier of Quebec himself proudly wore the watch.

The National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion to officially make May 17th The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the initiative with an official statement of support.

Further evidence that when a campaign makes it from the community to heads of state, real change is possible. Because identity and sexual orientation should never have an impact on life expectancy.

Credits

Client: Fondation Émergence
Chief Creative Officer: Carle Coppens
Creative Director: Carle Coppens
Creative Director: Hugo Morin
Art Director: Félix-Antoine Brunet Art Director: Preto Murara
Copywriter: Vanessa Harbec Copywriter: Olivier Goulet-Lafond Adaptation: Marcus Hildebrandt Account Manager: Charlotte Lafrance
Account Manager: Jean-Michel Rioux Account Coordinator: Natacha Nasset Producer: Anick Rozon
Producer: Brigitte Robillard
Strategy: Stéphane Mailhiot
Web Production Company: Human
App Developper: Vincent Nicopolsky Designer: Benjamin Trottier
3D Animations: Félix-Antoine Brunet
Watch Mecanism Design: Mélanie Guillaume
Watchmaker: Dominique Brouillet
Director: Sarah Adatte
Post-Production: Post430
Director: Nicolas Fransolet
Camera Assistant: Arturo Fransolet Gaffer: Nicola Tomasini
Editor: Ludauvick Geoffroy
Editor: Étienne Beaupré
Colourist: Étienne Beaupré
Assistant Editor: Rosalie Bégin Nadeau
Producer: Isabelle Bordua
Post-Production Coordinator: Annie-Kim Brais
Production Coordinator: Charlène Blanchette
Sound Production: Circonflex
Sound Designer: Tanguy Meunier
Public Relation: Tök communications
Photographer: Roma Yandolin
Photographer: Chaideer Mahyuddin Photographer: Anatolii Stepanov Photographer: Kobi Schutz Photographer: Czarek Sokolowski