4 Generations
Young Lions Finland 2025 Print Gold
The brief:
The human suffering caused by war and conflict is immense, and conflicts are a major barrier to sustainable development in societies. CMI seeks new, sustainable solutions to advance peace processes through dialogue and informal negotiation.
Create a print ad that raises awareness and drives donations for CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.
Print description:
War trauma lingers for generations, shaping lives long after the last battle. The scars of war are not only physical—they are passed down through generations in both visible and invisible ways.
In Finland, we are only now, after four generations, breaking free from this vicious cycle. How are we going to ensure that we do not fall back into it?
Mediation, the work CMI does, prevents conflicts before they start—stopping the cycle of generational wounds before they are formed. In a world overwhelmed by news of conflicts, people often become desensitized to suffering.
A powerful print ad that visually connects war trauma across generations captures attention and evokes empathy. Simultaneously, the ad is done with good taste – it does not take advantage of suffering. CMI’s most pressing challenge is that most people do not fundamentally know what it does or that they can donate to this cause. That is why the message of preventing war takes center stage here. By highlighting the long-term impact of war and the importance of mediation, this ad effectively communicates CMI's mission. This motivates support, making the print an effective fundraising tool.
The ad features a war veteran and a child, both with the same scar. The veteran’s scar is from a bullet wound; the child’s is inherited through genetics—a visual metaphor for how war’s trauma is passed down. The ad would work well in multiple channels. It is not only great in print, but also as OOH and social media.