Visit Flanders: Case study

Credits & Description:

Category: Public interest
Client: VisitFlanders
Agency: Ogilvy & Social.Lab, Belgium
Production: Sculpture Events Europe
Country: Belgium
Creative Director: Mathieu Cardon
Art Director: Sebastien Stevens
Art Director: Gauthier Fairon
Art Director: Arnaud Gerats
Copywriter: Bill Bilquin
Copywriter: Elizabeth Dewar
Copywriter: Raphaël Allegro
Producer: Jan Keersmaekers
Concept Provider: Mathieu Cardon
Strategy Director: Jakub Hodbod
Managing Director: Patou Nuytemans
Chief Operating Officer: An VandeVelde
Account Director: Isabel Artoos
Account Manager: Laurien Lelievre
Artist: Kilian
Artist: Damian Van Der Velden
Synopsis:
1917. Flanders Fields. Battle of Passchendaele. The incessant rain turned the craters and trenches into deadly mud traps where many men and horses drowned. The battle is one of the deadliest battles of WWI, killing more than 500,000 soldiers in just over 3 months. To highlight this collective sacrifice, Visit Flanders unveiled The Mud Soldier: an ephemeral statue sculpted with sand and mud taken from Passchendaele, that slowly dissolved as it was exposed to rain. A reminder of all those soldiers that disappeared by drowning in Flanders Fields. It also reminds us that their memory lives on.

Relentless warfare and incessant rain caused nearly 500,000 casualties during the Battle of Passchendaele. Some soldiers even drowned in the mud. We commemorated their struggle, bravery and sacrifice with this Mud Soldier, made out of sand and mud from Flanders Fields. Watch it slowly disappear with the rain.