Say the word Holocaust and unless you are Jewish or gay you might apathetically glaze over. We needed to tap into emotional, universal themes so that everybody could identify with the story. With a complex subject matter that often lacked personal relevance, a visit perceived as "work" and a location 30 miles northwest of Chicago, let's just say there were many factors working against us.

We developed the "Heroes of the Holocaust" brand awareness campaign that celebrated the powerful impact one individual can make. The stories in the campaign were taken from individuals who had helped aid in the survival of a Jewish refugee. They were paraphrased as if they were taken out of today's headlines to help bridge the past to the present. Sensitive with the casting, we intentionally chose models that did not fit the stereotypical ideal of a Holocaust survivor or hero.

The integrated advertising campaign included print, on site collateral, digital and outdoor billboard ads, web, rich media banners and social media.