Chronicles of Threats
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media/ Commission for the Investigation of Murders of Journalists
Issue 32 | September 2014
Agency
Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Veljko Golubovic Regional Creative Director John Pallant Creative Directors Zarko Veljkovic Dragana Petkovic Ivana Zekovic Copywriter Nikola Zmajevic
Production Team
Agency Producer Ivan Zornic
Other Credits
Managing Director Sonja Milovic Client Service Director Ivana Minovic Account Director Zorica Marjanovic Planner Tatjana Milnovic
Date
December 2013
Background
In the past 20 years in Serbia, three journalists have been murdered and dozens threatened. None of the cases were resolved. Even after the democratic revolution, the freedom of the press is in danger. While journalists live in fear, murderers lead normal, everyday lives.
The general public is unaware of the dangers which journalists face when they try to uncover the truth of what is happening in Serbia. If they do think about it, the attitude is, 'it's not my job, it's not my problem'.
The challenge was to raise awareness that vested political and business interests were still silencing the voices of journalists.
Idea
For the campaign, an actual threatening letter written to a journalist was used. The anonymous document was slipped inside the pages of the most popular Serbian newspaper, Blic. At the same time, a threatening video was posted on websites associated with the independent press. Both were designed to let people know how intimidating it could be.
Results
The campaign created an immediate debate and led to the reinvestigation of the murders of Dada Vujasinovic, Milan Pantic and Slavko Curuvija.
Dada Vujasinovic's 'suicide' was revealed to have been murder and Curuvija's killers have been identified.
It also sparked an initiative to look into the political background of the assassination of Serbia's Prime Minister.
A White Book chronicling the threats and actual violence against journalists in 2013 was released as an official document when the Government took steps.
This simple insert led to a total number of media impressions north of 70 million.
The media budget was zero.
Our Thoughts
Amazing how powerful a letter can be. What is so interesting here is that because mail is always so personal, the moment you share a letter widely in this way, its meaning changes. The naked aggression is diminished and it becomes instead a message of warning to everyone else.
Amazing too how the written word is still capable of such effect.
How interesting that it is an ad agency rather than a publisher that sees itself as the champion of free speech.
Yet another example of the changing role of ad agencies, from commercial hucksters to defenders of liberty.