Design Hack
How Rethink has hacked the planet for good
February 23, 2021
Strategy's Agency of the Year in 2020, Rethink, Demonstrates the Power of Digital Design
The thought of being digitally hacked, ambushed or hijacked typically fills one with ones and zeroes full of dread, but since the early 90s “hacktivitsts” have used their programming skills to enact direct action via keyboard strokes and code. In the following two Design Awards (the deadline for which is fast-approaching, more info here) winning campaigns, Rethink channels the spirit of white hat hackers to hijack and manipulate the digital domain for social good.
PRIDE FLAGGING
CONTENT-APPS-DESKTOP - SINGLE 2020
Rethink
w: rethinkcanada.com
Winner: Rethink Client: Fondation Émergence Creative Director: Nicolas Quintal, Mike Dubrick Art Director: Maxime Sauté Writer: Xavier Blais, Mike Dubrick Designer: Jake Lim, Shayne Tupper, Alex Fleming, Maxime Sauté Executive Creative Director: Chris Staples, Ian Grais Producer: Todd Harrison, Kyle Hicks Strategist: Pascal Routhier Developer: Brad Stapleton Digital Artist: Alex Fleming Account Director: Alex Lefebvre Account Manager: Cendra Percy PR: Victor Brunton PR Agency: TöK Communications PR: Éric Santerre, Samantha Williams
As numerous Pride related events were taking place around the globe, the Emergence Foundation launched the first tool that automatically flags online homophobia. Pride Flagging is a Chrome Extension that scrubs Twitter for 50 hateful terms in 15 different languages, striking through them with the colours of the Pride Flag, the universal symbol for diversity and inclusion.
SIX-SECOND AMBUSH ADVISORIES
DIGITAL PROMOTION DESIGN - SINGLE 2018
Rethink
w: rethinkcanada.com
Rethink Client: YWCA Creative Director: Aaron Starkman, Mike Dubrick Writer: Max May, Jordon Lawson Art Director: Pamela Rounis Creative Director: Ian Grais, Chris Staples Producer: Megan O'Connor Strategist: Darren Yada Amplification Strategist: Aliz Tennant, Gordon Zhang, Rose Koo Account Manager: Rachael Sawer Account Director: Chelsea Stoelting
Sexualization in popular media contributes to violence against women. So the YWCA decided to warn young viewers about the content they're about to watch. By hijacking YouTube's advanced ad targeting to run unskippable six-second warnings in front of specific music videos (YouTube's most popular content) that objectify women and men.