2002 > JMI - JEUNESSES MUSICALES INTERNATIONAL // BELGIUM
BETTER PLAY MUSIC
DAVID MATHY, JEAN-FRANÇOIS LÉONARD AND PHILIPPE SCHWAAR Many young people feel alienated from the society they live in. Often unable to change their condition and lacking the communication tools to express their innermost feelings of resentment, they end up engaging in hostile or even violent behaviour towards their community. Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) is a youth organisation dedicated to the development of youths’ culture through music. By encouraging young people to partake in competitions, youth orchestras and music camps, JMI enables them to develop both their talents and communication skills through a shared love of music. For Philippe Schwaar, Art Director with the company Dentsu BLD Europe, it was important to create a genuine empathy emanating from the visuals of the campaign. “Young people are naturally cynical about advertising. Any hint of insincerity or, even worse, any attempt to patronise them, and they will reject it immediately”, cautions the designer. “We wanted to show that we understand the frustrations
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endured by a lot of youngsters”. Through the powerful reportagestyle photography by photographer Jo Voets, Philippe Schwaar and his co-workers achieved a no-nonsense campaign reflecting the harsh lives of their target group, while conveying a strong message of hope for the future. Campaign material Postcards, posters