Shaking Things Up – MSF Video
August 28th, 2009 by 
Taylor
Once in a while media/communications/marketing does something really good. Problem is that ‘good’ is completely relative. MSF has come under some heat on a recent video they did.
MSF, better known in the US as Doctors Without Borders, does some amazing awareness campaigns. To say the least I am very impressed with the quality of their advertising projects. No doubt this turns into dollars and volunteers for them. I’m sure you can understand that this particular component of an organization is of great interest to me as it’s the very reason I am in Sudan with SIM.
Just before we left for Sudan they came through Dallas with their ‘A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City’ project. Though Allison and I did not get the chance to experience the ‘camp’ we did sit through some Q&A sessions they held at REI to find out more about the organization. They do a lot in Sudan and we see them often.
Recently they released a video titled ‘boy’. I want to give warning as this can present a VERY difficult viewing, so do so at your own risk of having many emotions to deal with at the end.
While this clip evokes some strong emotions, this was no doubt the intended effect. I often use my emtions as my gauge to find if something has grabbed my very inner being to be stretched. MSF has fully reached into my heart, perhaps to the point of intrusion. Have they gone too far? Have they taken too much emotion from me? How will my emotions impact my actions? How will I react? Should I react? Do they want me to react? I offer no answers, only the suggestion that we know ourselves deeper after seeing and engaging something like this. Engage God, ask, pray & request that He reveal himself to you in a new way. Seek answers in his Word.
On the flip side, MSF has done an equally well produced video ad with a very positive spin on it. Though it does show some short clips of theatrical pain, overall the piece is very ‘light’.
This clip evokes much less emotion to search through. We just enjoy the good work someone is doing and give them a slap on the back, maybe a few dollars.
Thanks to @bill_easterly for giving me a heads up to the video.
Posted in Media | 
1 Comment »
September 12th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Sure it's hard to hear little children cry over violence executed upon their family, but the rest of the world needs to be more connected to this. It disappointed me recently to hear the UNAMID commander and Mr. Gration say it's no longer war and no longer genocide in Darfur. There's still a LOT of pain like this being created there and backing down the international pressure is a huge disappointment. This brings to mind a touching point in the documentary Invisible Children where a young boy started to recall his friends who were killed by the LRA and he wept very much the same way. This message needs to be told.