ALNF: Literacy is freedom
Making the importance of literacy impossible to ignore, with a powerful mission video, and an extension into a larger than life festival activation.
OVERVIEW
The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) believe that everyone - wherever they come from, however they identify - should be able to confidently express themselves. We worked with an all-star cast of collaborators to bring to life their mission in a way that was bright, bold and impossible to ignore.
SCOPE
Short FilmProjection Mapped InstallationVideos for Vivid Sydney
COLLABORATION
Copywriting - John KerswellTypography - Kris Andrew SmallAnimation - Dani WolfVoice Artist - Nathan Maguire
RESULTS
18% increase in database subscriptions 11% increase in new donorsNew internal fundraising initiatives from American Express
Challenge
ALNF (The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation) is a national charity, delivering a range of innovative programs to raise literacy levels amongst marginalised and vulnerable populations.
People who have difficulty reading and writing suffer from shame, poor self-esteem and negative life experiences. They also lack access to many opportunities that most of us take for granted.
The challenge for ALNF is that they spearhead so many brilliant initiatives, it’s hard for them to clearly articulate what the organisation does at a brand level - and even harder for an outsider to understand this offering.
Our challenge was to increase comprehension of ALNF’s overarching mission and impact, through a brand video. We needed to take the existing brand and inject new energy into it, to ultimately increase awareness of ALNF among a broader audience.
Solution
The project brief started out as a short film which could be edited to be used across multiple platforms and for multiple audiences. However, good things happen to good people and the stars aligned to be able to amplify this film into so much more.
We were so inspired by the ALNF and their passion for learning, we knew the video had to be bold, vibrant and energetic, just like the work they do.
Our video concept had a central theme of protest - the idea of large, powerful slogans to fight for what’s right seemed an appropriate angle. We crafted a piece that would evoke emotion but also challenge people to think about how fortunate they really are - and how literacy is probably something they have never even had to consider - it’s just been a given.
Working with a crew of incredibly talented collaborators, we scripted, storyboarded, and animated the short film, which was voiced by ALNF’s ambassador Nathan McGuire - a newcomer to the VO circuit but an absolute talent.
With big, bold, lettering his modus operandi, we knew Kris Andrew Small’s unique typographic style would be the perfect fit for the project.
Dani Wolf’s impeccable animation skills made the type leap from the screen and really worked to emphasise key moments in John Kerswell’s uplifting script.
The final video was matched with a contagious track of drumbeats that fill it with urgency - and implore people to take action.
A Semi Permanent display
As a sponsor of the Semi Permanent creative festival, Nightjar were able to arrange access to Bay 19 at Carriageworks, a large exhibition space which was ready and waiting for magic to happen.
We took the existing brand video, and re-worked the script into short, powerful statements that no longer needed to be read and comprehended linearly. Honing in on the graphic type treatment and animation elements of the video, we projected these across the four walls of Bay 19 - with precise measurements taken to account for perspective, as well as doorways.
Coupled with a more mellow, ambient track than the original video, we wanted to encourage people to spend time in the room and really reflect on the words and the work that ALNF do.
The bold projections ran throughout the three days of the Semi Permanent festival, and compelled attendees to think about what literacy means to each of us privileged enough to consider it a right.
Kris Andrew Small was a keynote speaker at the festival, and was able to encourage people to visit the installation - which was standing room only for the entire three days as people were drawn to its kaleidoscope of colours and light.
“The idea behind the piece is to provoke, but in a positive way. Let's just say the work is pretty intense, we wanted it to be that way. It's a powerful cause so the animation needed to reflect that.”
ALNF up in lights
ALNF was also Vivid Sydney’s charity partner, and so cut-downs of the mission video were played before events in the Vivid Ideas program, upping brand awareness amongst a more corporate audience.
A shining example of an inspiring cause, a trusting client partner and a crack team - we’re thrilled to have played a small part in supporting the admirable work that ALNF do every day.
Results
During Semi Perm and Vivid, ALNF had an 18% increase in subscriptions to their database, and an 11% increase in new donors at that time, as well as Instagram follower growth.
American Express showcased the video internally- increasing awareness of ALNF, resulting in several new internal fundraising activities.
