| Title | YANG AI (DESPAIR WHIRLPOOL) |
| Brand | GUANGZHOU YANGAI SPECIAL CHILDREN PARENT CLUB |
| Product / Service | AUTISM AWARENESS |
| Category | A03. Best Use of Live Events, Stunt and/or Celebrity Endorsement |
| Entrant | LEO BURNETT SHANGHAI, CHINA |
| Entrant Company: | LEO BURNETT SHANGHAI, CHINA |
| PR/Advertising Agency: | LEO BURNETT SHANGHAI, CHINA |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda Yang | LeoBurnett | Executive Creative Director, Copywriter, Art Director |
| Gordon Hughes | LeoBurnett | Executive Creative Director, Art Director |
| Forest Young | LeoBurnett | Creative Director, Art Director |
| Donna Dong | LeoBurnett | Copywriter |
| Handsome Wong | LeoBurnett | Art Director, Designer |
| Haibo Huang | LeoBurnett | Art Director, Designer |
| Wei-Jun Lin | LeoBurnett | Art Director |
| Dicky Lui | LeoBurnett | Illustrator |
| Henry Gan/Dean Lee | Photography | |
| John Gu | LeoBurnett | Print Production |
| Steve Reimann | Cameraman | |
| Huang Cheng | Illustrator | |
| William Huen | LeoBurnett | Producer |
| Christine Chen | LeoBurnett | Producer |
| UCAN | Production House | |
| Wane Movie | Post Production House |
Challenge and objectives: In China millions parents of autistic children suffer in silence. Ignorance and 5,000 years of superstition lead many people to believe that the parents of autistic children are being punished for past wrongs. Ostracized by their communities, and ignored by social services they often have no one to turn to for help. The Yang Ai Foundation set out to raise awareness for their plight. Strategy: They did this by creating an exhibition of “Living Sculptures” on the streets of Shanghai. Dressed from head to toe in black, and bound by a sea of black ropes, the sculptures stood as a stark reminder of the heart wrenching loneliness and isolation felt by parents of autistic children. Results: The event was reported on by more than 60 national and local media outlets reaching an estimated audience of more than 20,000,000 people. The most gratifying is that with this event, “Yang Ai Special Children Parent Club” has received millions for charity.
The Yang Ai Foundation set out to raise awareness for the plight of families with autistic children, by educating the general public about this societal problem and the difficulties these parents faced.
The campaign was a big event that raised public awareness in China and stirred discussions. Over sixty mainstream media reported the event for free, and twenty million people now know that more attention and care have to be given to parents of autistic children. The PR programme produced the equivalent of more than 5,000 million media placement costs achieved value. Until today, citizens still discuss the issue on popular social networking sites in China. 90% of the parents of autistic children expressed that more people understand their hardship through this campaign, and public concern has given them much encouragement. 90% parents of autistic children said: "more people through this activity understand the hardship as parents of autistic children, we are encouraged by public concern". Moreover, "Yang Ai Special Children Parent Club" has raised enormous sums of donations as a result of this event, and will carry on this campaign while planning for the "World Autistic Day" next year.
In the largest cultural Art landmark park - "Red Town” in Shanghai, a performance art event lasted 4 hours, two performance art installation art + work "Despair Whirlpool" and "Dark Corner". They did this by creating an exhibition of “Living Sculptures” on the streets of Shanghai. Dressed from head to toe in black, and bound by a sea of black ropes, the sculptures stood as a stark reminder of the heart wrenching loneliness and isolation felt by parents of autistic children. In the event, we have distributed over 10,000 postcards. Hope more public attention to the activities referred to social problems, to support and help autism families.
In China millions parents of autistic children suffer in silence. Ignorance and 5,000 years of superstition lead many people to believe that the parents of autistic children are being punished for past wrongs. Ostracized by their communities, and ignored by social services they often have no one to turn to for help.
They did this by creating an exhibition of “Living Sculptures” on the streets of Shanghai. Dressed from head to toe in black, and bound by a sea of black ropes, the sculptures stood as a stark reminder of the heart wrenching loneliness and isolation felt by parents of autistic children.