THE NIKE FOUNDATION: GIRL EFFECT LIVE

The Nike Foundation lobbies governments to support the potential of girls in developing countries, which results in breaking the cycle of global poverty – they call this The Girl Effect.  Our challenge was to communicate The Girl Effect with a multi-venue street festival in east London. We told the real stories of girls living in poverty through a programme of music, spoken-word, immersive theatre and art, collaborating with an array of creative talent including Jessie J, George The Poet, Punchdrunk, Kate Moross and SB.TV.  

Case study film editor: Tom Palliser / Sunshine

 

festival

My involvement began with thinking through the festival’s structure and coming up with activations which would help get our message across, right through to conducting interviews and capturing footage on the day, which was shown to world leaders at the Girl Summit in London.  

It included: 

  • Collaborating with Punchdrunk and the wider team at Sunshine to conceive and produce an immersive theatre production ‘Walk with Me’, during which I came up with the central idea to pair girls at the event with the story of a girl in poverty.

  • Curating and writing a photography exhibition about child marriage with renowned photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair.

  • Working with an editor to compile an audio phone booth experience where girls in poverty tell their personal stories of FGM - a sensitive subject requiring sensitive handling.

  • Copywriting all in-situ messaging displayed throughout the day on walls, banners, big screens and lanyards.

  • Writing cue cards for compères Miquita Oliver and Miss London communicating the Girl Effect message during breaks between the day’s performances.

Over the course of nine hours, thousands of girls took part in Girl Effect Live.  It was an incredibly moving experience, especially speaking to some of the young women who were in tears after encountering ‘Walk with Me’.  This went far beyond advertising.  It touched lives, changed minds and helped form new opinions amongst the young women who experienced it, including myself.  

 

punchdrunk experience

'Walk with Me' Photography: Sunshine