Open Brief: a Global Call to Keep the World Safe
“We are in an unprecedented situation and the normal rules no longer apply. We cannot resort to the usual tools in such unusual times. The creativity of the responses must match the unique nature of this crisis - the magnitude of the responses must match its scale.”
In March 2020, the SDG Strategy Hub launched a new initiative — the Open Brief to Creatives — to curb COVID-19 by amplifying public health messages through creative efforts.
Talenthouse, an organization that operates a platform for open briefs, offered their help, support, and expertise to make this initiative innovative and impactful. Within a few weeks, there were nearly 17 000 submissions from 143 countries, in a multitude of languages – a true demonstration of creative philanthropy.
As a result of the Open Brief, the official UN COVID-19 Response logo and the six stamps were created by global ad agency TBWA. By amplifying and sharing key messages, creators, media, tech platforms, influencers and individuals helped to counter misinformation to keep the world safe.
The Open Brief website currently displays thousands of artwork pieces that have been widely downloaded and shared online globally in multiple languages. Creative content advocates around one of the six key areas: personal hygiene, physical distancing, symptom identification, kindness contagion, myth-busting and solidarity.
The Open Brief initiative was recognized by multiple leading media entities within the creative industry, like The Drum, BBC, Cannes Lions, and Ad Age, among others.
This effort was only possible through the support, collaboration, and ingenuity of all who touched the project, from the creatives themselves to the media outlets, technology companies and individuals from around the world.