Charles De Gaulle airport rebrand collects the Grand Prix for Good

HAVAS Paris has won the prestigious Grand Prix for Good with a bold, imaginative and inspiring project to raise the profile of the Anne De Gaulle Foundation, a private hospital set up by France’s former leader, Charles De Gaulle in memory of his daughter, who had Down Syndrome and died at the age of 20.

Despite providing residential care and support for people with neuro-developmental conditions for more than 75 years, the organisation was suffering from a lack of public awareness.

The Havas campaign focused on an enduring international landmark commemorating one of France’s most prominent structures:

Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. In a striking, temporary re-branding, the airport was renamed Paris-Anne De Gaulle airport.

The high-impact move saw the building’s new identity was mounted in giant lettering on the iconic façades of each terminal. Every advertising display, all flight information boards, baggage reclaim screens and even road signs around the airport showed Anne’s name.

The week-long spectacle, which dramatically turned the spotlight on the Founda- tion and its work, was timed to coincide with the World Health Organization International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3 last year.

The Havas team outlined the huge challenges involved in rebranding the world’s sixth-busiest air hub, the main one being to seamlessly and successfully transform a public space used by more than a million passengers per week.

“We had to build an experience capable of fitting with the airport’s extremely complex environment and multiple constraints,” they said. “Our message had to be delivered without impeding on passenger information or compromising security.”