Colombian commercial banking company Banco de Bogotá is breaking traditional holiday messages with its “Christmas changes us, let’s stay that way” campaign, which aims to raise awareness around discrimination and disability all year. In collaboration with agency Fantástica, the campaign encourages kindness year-round and highlights issues happening across the world, especially in marginalized communities.
As a way to bring awareness to discrimination, Banco de Bogotá and Fantástica developed two minutelong spots about Santa, directed by Juan Rueda and produced by Akira Cine. One spot tells the story of a man in a wheelchair who is unable to find a job in Colombia due to his disability. The man eventually lands a job dressing up as Santa and spreading holiday cheer. The other spot shows a Venezuelan man’s struggles with discrimination in Colombia as he continuously gets rejected while searching for work. Through his own Santa experience, he finds hope in the symbolism of Christmas.
Illuminating change
Both spots highlight the societal notion that during Christmastime, people are more inclined to treat people with kindness. However, the change in attitude should not just apply to the holiday, but throughout the year.
“We decided to create two films, one to tell the story of a Venezuelan who suffers in a country where he is discriminated against because of his accent, where nobody gives him a job, where he is rejected and where many seem to forget the crisis that Venezuela is going through,” Alejo Gómez, director general creative at Fantástica, said in a statement. “He decides to dress up as Santa and go out to give in a country predisposed to reject him and watch him beg.”
The other spot in the campaign is “the story of a man who has been standing still for 11 months, not because of his wheelchair, but because in Colombia it is almost impossible to get a job when you have a special condition,” Gómez added.
The pandemic has changed not only the way people celebrate the holidays, but also how brands use their platforms to spread powerful messages around crucial issues. Brands such as Depaul U.K, P&G and Degree have all made efforts toward raising awareness around disability, homelessness and discrimination. Banco de Bogotá aims to be a leader in creating inclusive, environmental and sustainable policies in Colombia.
You can view both spots on the brand’s YouTube channel.
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