BWM floods house in harbour for Red Cross
Australian Red Cross and Sydney advertising agency Belgiovane Williams Mackay created a startling art installation on Sydney Harbour on Australia Day to raise awareness, and donations, to help flood ravaged communities.
The 30 square metre art installation represented a full-sized house roof with water lapping at the gutters. It was moored in Farm Cove, between Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and the Opera House.
The “flooded house” installation aimed to recreate devastation thefloods have brought to communities across Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
Red Cross CEO, Robert Tickner, said: “The floating “flooded house” is avisual representation of the tens of thousands of Australians that havebeen affected by the floods crisis. Australia Day is where people cometogether to celebrate what is great about being Australian; solidarityin times of hardship, and communities helping each others cope withnatural disasters. Many Australians will be spending Australia Dayprotecting their homes or starting the long road to recovery’.
‘Australians have been generous in responding to flood appeals todate. On Australia Day we are asking Australians to dig deeper. Withsupport from media organisations promoting the flooded house and withsupport from the general public we hope to make a real difference thisAustralia Day’, said Mr Tickner.
BWM creative group head Matt Smith said: “Seeing the news footage ofpeoples lives being washed away had us wondering how we could help. Wethought creating the Red Cross Flooded House and floating it on SydneyHarbour on Australia¹s proudest day was the perfect way to bring theimpact of the devastation closer to home for Sydneysiders. So dig deepand donate.”
Credits
BWM creative team: Jen Barnett and Matt Smith
Creative director: Rocky Ranallo
Producer: Tiffany Campbell
36 Comments
The hairy banana is a legend.
http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/red-cross-flooded-house-in-argentina/#more-24723
Bad taste.
Other people we would like to acknowledge:
Australian Wharf and Bridge (donated barge)
Sal Boucher (construction)
NSW Maritime (licences and authority to moor the installation)
Cox Inall Communications (PR)
Sticky-Media (sign writers)
Next Printing (graphics)
Film Helicopters Australia (aerial footage)
Video Australasia
Nice work guys
Nifty idea, but lousy execution. Looks like an overgrown tent card. Needs a chimney, TV antenna or some other feature that makes it instantly recognisable as a sunken building.
A worthy cause that deserves everyone’s attention to be sure, but vaguely ghoulish, and it’s hard to imagine that the people in Queensland, or those in Victoria who’ve been affected by this tragedy need to see a replica of their homes floating in Sydney Harbour, with party boats sailing around it all Australia Day.
The fact that this was someone else’s idea, one that was highly publicised and awarded in ’08 for a similar tragedy in Argentina, and that this version looks rather poorly executed by comparison just leaves a bad taste.
Despite the obvious altruism, and the sincerity that I’m sure was there for BWM, the local Red Cross, as well as all the people who donated to the project, this idea truly seems to miss the target emotionally, and creatively. At the very least, Rocky should add the crew at Leo Burnett Buenos Aires to his list of credits.
And just to prove you really did this for altruistic reasons BWM, naturally there’ll be no tilt at personal or corporate glory by entering this in any awards, right?
No one’s thanked me yet.
So simple, so quick.
And on Sydney Harbour’s highest rating day of the year.
Great outdoor.
Dear Photoshop, you need to get out more. Farm Cove is just at the bottom of Mrs Macquaries Chair. Lovely spot. Fresh air, green grass. Very crowded on Australia day.
I still for the life of me don’t understand how big agencies, knowingly or not, completely rip off an existing idea – especially one that was highly publicised.
Seriously, wtf?
or just put together all the boat diesel, construction costs, Chopper fuel, paint, petrol and other costs together and give THAT to the victims. Oh wait sorry thats not the point
I’m with Old CD Guy. Nice idea, but it needs a chimney or something to make it clear that it’s a house.
Red Cross Argentina “Flood”
For the first time, a home was built inside a lake in downtown Buenos Aires next to the Planetarium, a neuralgic urban and tourist point. A sign read: The North of Argentina needs your help. Thousands of people saw it on their way to work. The entire country learned about it on TV news shows, on the radio, and in the most important journals. Over 60,000 calls and an increase in donations were achieved. And most importantly, the citiznes became aware of a situation that until then seemed remote.
Agency: Leo Burnett Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Just in case Rocky forgot, here are the rest of the credits
The Print Ad titled FLOODED HOME was done by Leo Burnett Argentina advertising agency in Argentina. It was released in the March 2008. Business sector is Charities, Public Health & Safety, Public Awareness Messages.
Company: Leo Burnett Argentina, ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires
Chief Creative Director: Pablo Capara
Copywriter: FERNANDO MILITERNO
Creative Director: FERNANDO MILITERNO
Producer: Nano Tidone
Copywriter: Marina Caminal
Creative Director: Bernardo Wisky
Chief Creative Director: Seto Olivieri
Copywriter: Ramiro Gamallo
Company: Sake, ARGENTINA, Buenos Aires
Producer: Pedro Saleh
Yeah, shame it’s been done already.
And the original client was Red Cross Argentina in 2008.
Great original idea BWM ???
Am I the only one saddened by the re-cut of the AAMI commercial?
Flooded House was awarded a Bronze Outdoor Lion at Cannes 2008, a Gold for Ambient at FIAP – Ibero American Advertising Festival, 2008, a Gold for Ambient: Special Build at Kinsale Shark Awards 2008, and a Silver Pencil at the One Show in 2009.
Done. Done. And Done.
So let’s assume it was simply made out of charitable intentions because it certainly won’t pick up an award.
Embarrassing plagiarism, and poorly done to boot. Great work BWM and CD Ranallo. Have you contacted Burnetts in BA to apologise yet? Or more importantly have they contacted BWM to complain about the blatant appropriation without citing their original idea?
Pretty shameful really, and sad because the Red Cross and the flood victims themselves deserve so much better from you in championing their cause.
@Missing those balloons: Haha! No you’re not alone! The removal of the funbags is highly un-‘fair’
Appalling award show scam leveraging one of the worst tragedies we’ve faced.
Hang your heads BMW.
I wonder how much is cost to install. I’ll make a guess at “more than it rasied in donations. I did actually see it in situ. It could not be read more than about 50 metres away. Given all this, it’s bound to win a gold at Cannes
Refer to second post. Done. Done.Done Done Done Done Done. Try not to plagiarise award winning work next time!!!
This is horrid. Fishing for awards and praise during a tragic event?
Low.
Only an advertising agency could rent a helicopter to film a charity ad that has the sheer balls to beg for spare change, then send it to the blog so we can all clap.
Oh BWM. You just can’t get it right can you? You’re the ‘Dragon’ of advertising – couple of cute little Aussie hits, but can’t quite crack the big time.
As the media’s go-to crisis-management man, B should have realised that any ad, particularly a topical one or one that seeks to capitalise on a tragic event has to satisfy against 3 criteria:
1. The idea
2. The execution
3. The politics
That’s assuming that a storm in a teacup – ie; a backlash on the Blog counts for anything…
@ 2.30 pm.
Does the live version of ‘April Sun’ count as the other hit?
..and fails on all 3!!!!
Yes 3:27pm, and ‘Dreams of Ordinary Men’
Got to say – there’s some really good comments on this story
Normally you’d find bitter creatives having a bitch, but this time round – VERY VALID
7:04 pm
9:24 pm
well said.
I don’t think Sydney Siders need to be reminded to donate money to my flood victims.
It’s everywhere in the media.
A waste of Red Cross Funds, really.
What awful work this really is. Were you expecting us to pat you on the back for profiting from tragedy? What a waste of money.