The Co-operative Bank has taken its ethical trading stance a step
further in a drive that criticises institutions that finance regimes
which make use of land mines.
BDDH has devised a 60-second black-and-white cinema commercial designed
to show people the devastating power of a land mine. The film opens on a
shot of a tripwire as a voiceover says: ‘Touch the tripwire of the
Valmara 69 ‘bounding’ land mine, and ball-bearings will be blasted
through those seated in rows A to G, literally tearing you apart.’
It goes on to say how people in rows up to L would be maimed beyond
recognition and everyone else in the cinema critically wounded.
‘Certain regimes throughout the world spend millions of pounds in order
to plant land mines indiscriminately,’ the voice continues as the mine
is revealed in full, ‘which is why one bank never has, and never will,
finance the supply of arms to repressive regimes.’ The endframe reveals
the name of the Co-operative Bank.
Simon Derungs, the BDDH board account director on the Co-op business,
said the bank decided to produce the ad after earlier land mine press
work got approval from the Advertising Standards Authority, despite a
complaint from the Midland Bank.
The ad was written by Owen Lee, and art directed by Gary Robinson, who
also directed the film through Hungry Eye. It breaks nationally next
week, with media planned and bought by TCS Media North.
