Awareness Campaign

The Brief

A21 is an international organization working to eliminate human trafficking and abolish injustice in the 21st Century. In 2015 the organization had 11 offices in 10 countries, including Norway. You can read more about them here: www.a21.org.

The job is to design a poster for A21 for a public awareness campaign targeted toward Norwegians. This campaign aims to get people to change their attitudes towards this subject and create awareness around the issue.

The poster should showcase a name, slogan, and any additional text you would like to add. The "hero" of the poster should, however, be an impactful photograph. The photos should be taken outdoors using mainly natural light. Minimal use external flashes to supplement the natural light will be okay. The minimum size of the poster shall be A3.

The Design Process

Exploring the Target Market & Fishing For A Concept

The UDI (Outlander Directorate in Norway) calls it human trafficking "when a person exploits someone else, e.g. for the purpose of prostitution, work, begging or crime." Their website has a designated page that explains the term and advises how to reach out for help. This definition allows a sense of direction for potential photo motives and concepts for the project.

Despite this awareness page on the UDI website, the international community criticized Norway for being too slow in implementing a stronger focus on eradicating human trafficking. The Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) criticizes that Norway should assign more funds to fight human trafficking and that Norway deports foreigners too rapidly "without screening for potential victims of trafficking." These suggestions are from the latest of the council's report for 2022.

There have been two reports since the beginning of the 21st Century, and fighting human trafficking seems not to be prioritized by politicians in Norway. Further criticism includes that Norway assigns too little money to the units that fight human trafficking and that there are too few indictments and convictions. There should be many more, based on the researched numbers around worldwide human trafficking. The council advises Norway to install better victim identification procedures. They demand progress and legislative reforms. Some articles and Wikipedia provide the status quo of human trafficking in Norway:

• Norway is more a destination for trafficked victims than a transit country.
• Predominantly there is sexual exploitation.
• However, the exploitation of labor is on the rise.
• Victims come from Africa and Eastern Europe, mostly and often from minority groups.
• Various trafficking schemes—example: In 2009, 40 children went missing from a Norwegian refugee camp.
• Norway implements only minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking.

The international community urges Norway to hold seminars and start work groups that include NGOs. And they would like to raise awareness via visual campaigns.

Now I have a good idea of what's happening in Norway regarding human trafficking and that there seems to be a pressing demand to raise awareness. One question remains: What in particular makes the Norwegian tick? How can I target the somewhat distant and frosty epicenter of Norwegian emotions? Are Norwegians so different than other Western citizens? Is there something in particular that speaks to the Norwegian people?

There was one idea that I could not stop thinking about: It came to me as a no-brainer that I had to use a concept or motive that was somewhat "shocking." But how to shock those Norwegians who are very composed and laid back most of the time? I researched imagery and created mood boards to inspire the creative process and to find my answer.

Finding Inspiration

Alternating between browsing Google and re-reading the brief underlined my intention of "Making it shocking!" None of the imagery was shocking enough, though. I kept reflecting on how I could pierce through the outer shell of the Norwegian armour. I researched imagery and assembled a few mood boards to guide the photo-shooting preparation.

Mood Board 1: Concept variety

Mood Board 2: Poster style variety

Mood Board 3: Close-up eyes and make-up

Mood Board 4: Close-up eyes and make-up plus obduction idea

I kept reflecting on particularly horrible experiences I had. However, I did not have many of these in my private life, so I turned to fiction. What movies, series, and books did I find particularly shocking and perhaps linked to human trafficking (or not)? These are some of my favorites, and I kept being reminded of them while working on the project:

• 8mm
• True Detective (esp. first season)
• Seven
• Memento
• Predator 2
• Broen and other Nordic crime series
• Kepler books
• Nesbø books

Scouting

With the mood boards at hand, I started planning a scouting trip around the area where I lived. Before going on tour, I juggled a few ideas and concepts I wanted to explore on the scouting round. While on tour, I captured images I reviewed later to remind me of ideas I had during the scouting round. I started growing them into a complete concept. I took a few reminder images and notes while en route:

Scouting notes:

• Bruised model
• True Detective vibe
• Graphics split up body. Create emotion via story.
• Bidding for body. Chains. Public. Outside.
• Its not a movie concept.
• Buy props. Handcuffs.
• Trash concept.

During the scouting run, I kept thinking of the movies and series I found particularly shocking and disturbing. But I said to myself that human trafficking is real, not fiction! The final puzzle to my concept should be It's not a movie! or something along those lines.

Storyboarding

Using the mood boards and the researched material for inspiration, I drew a few storyboards in planning the actual shoot and explored a few more concepts as well. I added more substance to my concept ideas.

Concept 1: Tunnel - sex worker

I used a tunnel that leads under a street to create a setting where a sex worker may approach her clients. The idea was to use the tunnel and the created light and shadows to make sense of lightness vs. darkness, distance vs. closeness, and present vs. past. I went ahead and planned this location for the shooting day ahead.

Concept 2: "I used to be..." concept

I tried inducing a more intimate relationship with the subject. Such a concept is best suited for real-life stories, not just make-believe. I liked the idea, but when prepping the shoot, I ruled it out because I didn't want to create an elaborate fake narrative. I would capture the moment if I saw an excellent opportunity present. If not, no harm.

Concept 3: "I used to be..." and abducted/container concept

Caption: Similarly, I took a variation for the one above. I added a nuance of "obduction" or "captured." The background is supposed to represent a shipping container. I went ahead and planned this location for the shooting day ahead.

Concept 4: Cornered in a cold and dark place

Caption: Even though we are supposed to use only natural lighting, I needed to try this concept because we had a WWII bunker in front of our house. I had to use this opportunity. I went ahead and planned this location for the shooting day ahead.

Caption: Because we had to use natural lighting, I storyboarded the bunker concept by making the model sit outside. I was not fond of it and didn't even attempt shooting it. It looked like showing the world a missed opportunity: Why not shoot it inside the bunker?!

Concept 6: A sitting beggar in front of the supermarket

Caption: My model did not feel comfortable with this one. And I found it too generic.

Finally, I planned three concepts with three locations reasonably close to one another. We enter the final planning stage.

Planning the Photoshoot to the Detail

I juggled three image concepts for the photo-shooting: the bunker, the tunnel, and the container. And I will make it look like a sinister movie or series and call it a reality! I use the iOS Notes app to plan my photo shoots. Here are my notes:

Equipment:

• Sony A7III
• Sony A7III
• 1.8/85mm
• 3.5-5.6/28-70mm
• 2.8/17-28mm
• Tripod
• Filter
• Props: cable ties, towel
• Water sprayer
• 3-4 Outfits/Looks: shorts, skirt, dirty white shirt from me, dirty black shirt from me, broken jeans, high heels, dress, cigarette prop

Location 1: Concept Tunnel (ca. 20min)

Difficulty for model: Easy for warm-up

Concept and shoot ideas:

• Sex worker
• Duality
• Past vs. present
• Color vs. B&W
• Geometry
• Symmetry
• Depth of field
• Background
• Outfit: Jeans vs. leather jacket, broken jeans, and a white shirt. Smoke.
• Make-up: sexy eyeliner

Location 2: Concept Container 1 & 2 (ca. 30min)

Difficulty for model: Moderate

Concept and shoot ideas:

• New arrival
• Shipping theme
• It's real
• No face
• Tied up
• Face close-up. Washed out make-up
• No face
• Facedown

Location 3: Concept Bunker (ca. 20min)

Difficulty for model: Hard

Concept and shoot ideas:

• True Detective Feeling
• Naked, bruised legs
• No face/face down
• Only legs
• Shadow play

Bonus Location 4: Concept Side of the Road (ca. 10min)

Difficulty for model: Easy

Concept and shoot ideas:

• Waiting at the street
• Trafficking

We used the car and went from location one to two to three. The sun was highest in the sky, and there were no clouds. I wanted lots of light because I looked for stark contrasts. The plan was to create a high-contrast image in black and white. Due to the grim subject matter, I never considered having a colorful hero image.

The Photo-shoot

Furthermore, the extra light would be helpful when shooting in the bunker. When shooting, I tried many compositions with a lot of white space to leave for the copy and logo of A21. I took a total of around 500 photos. I directed the model for the most part, but I always gave the model a chance to go with her flow. Sometimes this is where the magic happens. Please find a selection of screenshots so you get an idea of what I was doing and looking for:

The Final Design

Choosing the Final Image

In the post-production process I went through ca. 500 images from the shoot. I star-rated those which came into question. There was a clear winner: One of the images from the bunker. The expression on the model's face was perfect. The model started directing herself, and I only added a few comments here and there. This image is the result of this creative process:

It has it all: The model shows surprise and terror. Her open eyes and big pupils are symbolic of fear. The open mouth signifies an unexpected spectator as if she is scared someone unwanted is coming. At the same time, the posture creates a sense of coldness, self-protection, and self-hiding. I planned a short skirt and a too-big white t-shirt with some texture for the model. The white shirt would make her pop.

The image worked perfectly with my concept: It looked like an image from a movie cover, and then there was the twist: "THIS IS NOT A MOVIE." I would make this the tagline of the final poster, and then I would add a call to action to add some actual usefulness to the awareness. And the logo balances the composition on the left.

Image edits

I made minimal edits to the image. My program of choice for initial improvements was Lightroom Classic. I straightened the image, and this was all my cropping. I used a few radial filters to draw the viewer deep into my subject's eyes and to separate her from the gloomy background. And I took out the color, of course.

Then I moved to Photoshop. I only used nine layers. I was fortunate with this shot. All the layers are very self-explanatory. Here is my Layers panel:

I removed all distracting items but left some dark spots and unclean items—this image and the concept live from its uncleanliness. See in the screenshot what I mean:

The lighting, the model's expression of terror, her washed-out make-up, and the tear have so much gravity that I didn't have to worry about additional fragments elsewhere. These fragments gave the image more character.

Logo, Color, and Type

I had to redo the logo in Illustrator to get it right. Then, I used the red brand A21 and contrasted it with the white on the dark backdrop. I had trouble matching the color as I copied the logo from Illustrator to Photoshop, but eventually, it worked out. It is easily legible, and this red triggers a sense of urgency—the play of the white and red balance well on the final poster.

I was looking for a clean, symmetrical type that works well on displays. The choice was extensive, but Segoe UI Regular and Bold were perfect to counter-balance the logo and add good visual hierarchy to the poster design. The bold font does not remove attention from the subject.

Instead, the clean look of the font gives the concept a big exclamation mark, so I opted to end the sentence with a calm period rather than an actual exclamation mark. Otherwise, the copy would have asked for too much attention. The subject continues to be the heroine here. Finally, I used the Regular font of the same type for the CTA on the poster.

After field-testing the poster, people did not immediately grasp that the poster was about human trafficking. Of course, you can't guess it from only the image, but the copy should answer this question. Since it is not entirely clear then, I added an explainer that stays true to the concept of movie vs. reality.

Challenge Zero - The Target Group and their Wishes

The distribution market of the magazine is North America. Hence I opted for a letter size 8.5 by 11 inches to adhere to the market. This standard size should also keep printing costs low.

The target market is conscious of the resources that go into making the magazine. Recycled and sustainable resources are mandatory for the concept of such a magazine. The idea is to create a high-end feel at the same time.

This magazine shall attract the spokespersons of the pressing matters in focus. It should be a tool to educate and mold positive opinions towards 'turning the tides' of what we've been doing to our planet. Having striking covers with a clear focal point and a clear hierarchy for the secondary and tertiary focal points is vital. We ought to reach those goals and those people with controversial headlines, striking colors, and raw visuals. The idea is to tell people that the world is falling apart, BUT let us do something about it.

Composition

I kept everything in dynamic rules of thirds composition. Nothing is perfectly symmetric, but everything is reasonably balanced. Perhaps I could have put the logo and the copy higher on the poster to fill the vast amount of white space on top of the image, but I think as I have designed the final poster, it works with the concept: Closing in on the subject, pressuring it from both sides.

The subject has just enough space to breathe without feeling smothered. It reminds me of The Shining scene, where Jack Nicholson pushes his head through the door. The door becomes the frame, and the image is un-easy and disturbing.