From hunger personifications to the British Army recruitment here is the latest in video communications. For more from #CommunicateLens, follow @Communicatemag on Twitter.

With issues surrounding child food poverty taking centre stage in public debate and government agenda due to Covid-19 exacerbating the situation, Aldi UK is pledging to donate 10 million meals to families in need in 2021. The supermarket chain will work with giving platform Neighbourly and football player Marcus Rashford MBE, who has been in the spotlight of the child food poverty debate after he obtained that school meals be given to poor students even during school holidays. The campaign centres around a one-minute animation video, ‘Hunger Monster,’ to raise awareness of the issue and encourage people to tackle it. The video personifies ‘hunger’ through a child’s eye, bringing to it to life as a monster with harmful effects; the big, blue hunger monster follows the boy everywhere, from the classroom to the playground to his own home. ‘I sometimes sit and close my eyes imagining a day when Hunger simply packs his bags and moves far, far away,’ the boy says. The video is narrated by Rashford, who interprets a poem by Giles Andreae, while the boy’s voice is interpreted by Rashford.

“I know first-hand the vast number of children that rely on our local charity partners in order to go to bed without an empty stomach, and this commitment will go a long way for the families who are struggling to put food on the table,” says Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly.

AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) worked with creative partners Leo Burnett to create the first ever destination brand campaign for AlUla, the heritage and cultural centrepiece of Saudi Arabia. The 90 second video, titled ‘The World’s Masterpiece,’ which features a young Saudi woman exploring key heritage sites, is the first of the Saudi Vision 2030 projects to open tourism following the country’s decision to launch tourist visas for t he first time in September 2019, and adding the UK to the corridor list last month. AlUla will target travellers seeking an authentic experience, allowing them to visit heritage sites including Dadan and Hegra, or more adventurous places like the Ashar Valley. The new brand campaign will help to achieve RCU’s long term visitor target of two million visitors by 2035. The woman in the video is seen marvelling at the architectural sites, reflecting the emotions the RCU hopes to elicit in visitors when they see AlUla for the first time.

‘The World’s Masterpiece is a play on both the skilful artistry of ancient civilisations who carved elaborate artworks into the rocky outcrops, as well as the pure and unspoilt beauty of the geological rock formations and landscapes sculpted by nature. We know Saudis love to travel and we hope this campaign will inspire many of them to appreciate a must-see destination, a world masterpiece, closer to home,’ says Phillip Jones, chief management and marketing officer at RCU.

British Army

The British Army has launched a recruitment campaign ‘Fail. Learn. Win,’ which highlights how the army is a ‘space to fail. Lear. Win,’ and where failure is celebrated because people to learn and grow, and not give up. The video features a young soldier lagging behind her group as they run through a forest with all their gear on; just as she stops and whimpers, conveying the idea that she doesn’t believe she can make it to the finish line, another solider urges her to go on ‘come on, keep going.’  ‘What’s the first step towards victory? Failure,’ the narrator says, expressing the idea that failing is necessary to win when it really matters. The video campaign conveys a lot about the British Army’s employer brand management strategy, most notably that it doesn’t seek to hire only tough and strong people, like most people would think, but actually values weakness and failure, viewing it as an essential step in personal growth. It is a strong statement from an institution which is often associated with masculinity, power and triumph.  

Unicef

Unicef launched a video about its role as designated COVAX procurement coordinator and agent. The video clearly explains the Covax global initiative, which ensures that the Covid-19 vaccines reach those in greatest needs, since wealthy countries have claimed over half of the doses that come on market by the end of 2021. Using infographics and original footage showing Unicef workers going around with backpacks full of vaccines, the international institution conveys to the audience the weight of its experience in working with vulnerable people, especially children, and its role in building trust in vaccines, which is fundamental in tackling the pandemic once and for all. Overall, it expresses on clear and solid message, about equality and opportunity: ‘Where you live or the amount of money you have in your pocket shouldn’t determine whether you can get these life-saving vaccines, ‘ says Priyanka Pruthi, Unicef senior producer, to the audience.

“Unicef has amassed decades of unique expertise in vaccine procurement, transport and delivery. This, combined with our strength in market shaping, puts us in a solid position to rise to this challenge,” says Etleva Kadilli, director at Unicef’s supply division.