#ChooseMariaRessa the most creative campaign of May in the Top ADC Romania
The campaign “Choose Maria Ressa – A Nobel Laureate for Bucharest,” created by Rusu+Borțun for ZYX Books, was awarded Silver in the ADC Top for May 2024.
Launched during the Romanian electoral campaign, “Choose Maria Ressa” brought to public attention a unique alternative: the election of a Filipino personality, Nobel Prize winner, to promote democracy in Romania.
Contextul campaniei
Alongside the electoral posters that flooded the city, Bucharest residents were able to discover an unconventional one: the image of a Filipino woman and the call to “Choose Maria Ressa.”
Maria Ressa did not run for any position in Romanian politics, but she is an excellent choice when it comes to informing on topics such as: democracy, freedom of expression, fake news, and elections. In the book “How to Fight a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future,” published by ZYX Books, Maria Ressa highlights the connection between autocratic regimes and the tech companies that manage social media networks. Condemned to 100 years in prison in the Philippines for exposing corruption by the president, Maria Ressa has become a symbol of resistance against dictatorship and the defense of human rights.
Maria Ressa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 “for her efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a prerequisite for democracy and lasting peace” (source here).
Obiectivul campaniei
The main objective of the campaign was to promote the book “How to Fight a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future,” authored by Maria Ressa and published by ZYX Books. However, for us, this campaign also represented an opportunity to draw attention to the importance of democracy and civic engagement, especially during a time when voices from the extremes seem to be growing louder.
Impact și recunoaștere
We started with the desire to inspire the Romanian public to make informed and conscious choices for the future, and the campaign received recognition. The success of the campaign was acknowledged at a national level, being awarded the Silver prize in the ADC Top in May 2024.
Concluzie
The campaign “Choose Maria Ressa – a Nobel Laureate for Bucharest” demonstrated that choices are not limited to politics but also to the values we support and promote in society. We believe that, alongside ZYX Books, we managed through this campaign to bring to the forefront essential discussions about democracy, press freedom, verified sources of information, as well as top authors and continuous education.
The book signed by Maria Ressa, “How to Stand Up to a Dictator. The Fight for Our Future,” is available on the ZYX Books website: https://zyxbooks.ro/alege-maria-ressa/.