2022 Winners & Shortlists

Why is this work relevant for Media?

We created a new medium. This was the only way that we could make contact with migrants without anyone noticing. Food is given to migrants while they are waiting to board the boats, so using sardine tins as a means of communication was the perfect solution.

Background

Since 2014, more than 30,000 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. These estimates are only from documented deaths, wrecks, and bodies found. There have been many more due to the pandemic. Making the Mediterranean “the biggest cemetery in the world”. Targeting migrants is almost impossible, due to their political status and geographical position. So a new and surprising way to communicate with people who are incommunicado had to be created, giving migrants a choice to stay in their home countries rather than having to take the risk of travelling abroad.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

Sensitive data retrieved by the client reflected what most people in the coastal dwellings already knew – that a large number of migrants who head for Italy, Spain and France, ect. head off from Morocco’s coastline – at night. New Hope Foundation is an NGO that promotes projects to help disadvantaged people gain access to first-world opportunities, primarily education and training. Targeting migrants is almost impossible, due to their political status and geographical position. So a new and surprising way to communicate with people who are incommunicado had to be created, giving migrants a choice to stay in their home countries rather than having to travel abroad.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The audience is migrants. The data was gathered by an organization that has been working to integrate people into education for the betterment of the countries that they are from, rather than the ones they feel compelled to go to. The major difficulty for us was to find an opportunity to speak to the migrants. They are more often than not under the watchful eye of the criminals whose only objective is to get them on those boats. That’s why our strategy was to hijack something that would be seen and opened by them, anyway.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

The canned sardines were part of the food pack given out to migrants, when they’re on the beaches awaiting boarding. It is normal for agencies, like the International Red Cross, to give out food and clothing to migrants. Another reason why our design focused on presenting something that looked like food was so that the handlers or smugglers wouldn’t question anything. Covering stories by the people who had attempted to cross, before.

List the results (30% of vote)

This idea also changed people’s perspectives regarding making a dangerous voyage. Highlighting the fact that without them, their own countries might not be able to change its fortunes (due to a migration of skills and knowledge). After handing out the parcels, 27% of those interviewed considered changing their minds about crossing the Mediterranean Sea. 13% Chose to stay and start a new life in Morocco. 5% Were integrated into local education with the help of the New Hope Foundation. Abeda, Aya, Zola, Etienne, Traore and others made it safely. But back home.