Humanitarian Response Agency GOAL Brings Gaza’s Tiniest Victims into Focus

Imminent famine, widespread disease, dehydration and escalating violence has created a catastrophic situation for more than two million people living in the Gaza strip. Despite the horrific scenes that we see on the news everyday, the world can become desensitised to what is unfolding. 

The Public House worked with GOAL, the humanitarian response agency, to develop an idea that would both maintain and raise awareness of the intolerable situation in Gaza, and raise funds for the ongoing humanitarian response. Funds raised by GOAL go directly to support communities in Gaza via their local partner Taawon and its own local community partners. With this aid and assistance going toward both short-term needs and longer-term recovery.

This campaign needed to really emotionally resonate with the Irish public, and radio seemed to be the ideal format for this message. It allowed us to go beyond the blockades and transport Irish people in the shoes of Palestinians, even if just for 30 seconds. Beyond that, radio has proven to be a particularly effective medium in Ireland, with one study citing 63% of people saying they take action having heard ads on the radio - a vital consideration for an NGO. 

The emotive radio ad is predicated on the knowledge that unborn babies can begin to hear sounds outside the womb at 18 weeks. With 180 children being born in Gaza every day, the spot takes listeners inside of an expecting mother’s womb hearing a terrifying preview of the situation they will be born into. 

Paddy O’Mahoney, associate creative director at The Public House, added, “It’s hard to fathom the stress and terror all of the people in Gaza have felt since November, and the fact thousands of pregnant women are living through it everyday was particularly upsetting. If that’s how we were feeling in the agency, we thought the Irish public would feel the same way.”

GOAL’s director of fundraising, marketing and communications, Eamon Sharkey said, ”Collectively we have borne witness to the shocking human suffering in Gaza over the past six months, and it seems like there are no new words to describe how bad the humanitarian situation is. As famine and starvation grow more imminent by the day, GOAL partnered with The Public House to find a way to maintain the focus that is needed on bringing an immediate end to the violence and urgently needed aid access to the people of Gaza. The result is an emotional, gripping creative approach that gives a new perspective on what it is like to be trapped inside a warzone with no escape. The Irish people know the value of peace and safety, and have responded with their well-known generosity to support the campaign, thereby enabling increased aid and assistance to those in need in Gaza.”

The Public House worked on this campaign pro-bono, with Will Farrell at Blast Audio, and actress, Ali White. 

This work is another example of the agency’s anti-formula approach to building attention grabbing work that is in line with their philosophy that ‘boring doesn’t sell’.  The independent creative agency works with a diverse portfolio of ambitious clients including FBD Insurance, EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, 48, Redbreast Irish Whiskey and Barnardos.