Responses by Sleyman Khodor, chief creative officer, VML Brasil.

Background: For this campaign for the Public Prosecutor’s Office, a public organization of independent public federal and state prosecutors, our inspiration was a realization that the same scenario in which people who lack electricity, housing and basic sanitation is the same as they would be experiencing on Mars. But even millions of kilometers away, Mars is a place that continues to receive billions in investment to become a habitable place while people forget those who live on Earth.

The main idea—pointing out that Mars is Here—is that all these investments can be instead made to positively transform the lives of many people. The project is aimed at the general public and people who aspire to the cause.

Larger picture: In regard to the repercussions, we want the public and private sectors to take action and start spending all this money not just on upper-middle-class places but in places that really need it. We want society to start paying more attention and allocating resources to people who need to get out of risky situations.

Challenges: We have 6.4 million people who don’t have decent housing in Brazil, a fundamental right that enables access to other rights such as drinking water, basic sanitation, education and health, for example.

Favorite details: The part of this project that makes us proudest is fostering a discussion about the lack of decent housing worldwide, even when addressing the issue in a local context. We are aware that many people around the globe suffer from poor housing conditions and require the attention of society as a whole. In summary, it is about bringing to the public’s attention a topic that has long been invisible.

Furthermore, the result was the faithful capture of reality on the subject with the care to depict the emotion that the topic deserved.

New lessons: The realization that modulating the core promise into a creative message does not diminish the seriousness of a subject. On the contrary, it makes a campaign more impactful, educational and memorable.

Specific project demands: Something that made the entire process and the campaign’s outcome genuinely smoother was that a large portion of the project had voluntary assistance. Users, influencers and some service providers engaged in the project due to its seriousness and commitment to the theme.

vml.com/brazil