“We all know that children can’t choose their parents. But what if they could? Would that change the way we as parents behave?” It’s written as tried and true advertising strategy, but the creative produced from the insight is sparkling, grim and an absolute gem from Havas Helsinki for Fragile Childhood. In every culture’s folk tales and mythology, the orphanage has long been the symbol of crumbling society. They are often heralded as a cesspool of the particularly craven, morally decrepit of us who walk among those in the least-advantageous context and pry on those most vulnerable in our society. And it’s with that context firmly embedded in our heads that Havas explores the dreams and desires of kids in a 90 second world where kids in the most vulnerable situation can choose their new parents. The production itself looks like it’s birthed right into mid-dream. Questions of: “What do children, especially children with abusive parental figures, dream of?” and “What power does a child hold?” anchor the premise, while the inclusion of a whimsical scenario into the horrid reality of having parents who abuse alcohol carries the intended effect of being punched in the stomach. Like the feeling of losing vertigo or lingering on inevitable misfortune, the children walk out of the orphanage, from adolescence into adulthood–wino parents leading the way. Brought to you by the good people at Havas Worldwide, Helsinki:
The Whimsical Orphanage
for our profit 