Creative agency Emotive and Good Oil Films partnered with YouTube and the United Nations and launched a “dramatic” movie trailer. Only there’s a twist: No more than 86% of the global population can understand its real message. The other 14% will see the tragedy a girl goes through after her plane crashed. So, how come this part of the population can’t decipher the video? Are there hidden symbols in this movie? In short, yes and no.

For most of us, the letters that form words are something normal, a not-so-complicated way of expressing ourselves. But for others, they are like hieroglyphs. Show this video to one of the 630,000 illiterate Australians, for example. Then, share what they understood from this film with us.

Although Australia is a developed state, more than half of its population is illiterate. Imagine where this country would be if the whole population could read and write. “Education enables upward socioeconomic mobility and is a key to escaping poverty,” says the UN. This is the key we all need in order to evolve and open a new world of possibilities both for us and for the society we live in.

So, what is the explanation behind this alarming number of illiterates in the Land Down Under? Well, this happens because Australia is affected by segregation. “Our education system has progressively been structured to privilege the haves and abandon the have-nots,” reads the YouTube description.

The shocking statistics inspired the Tamarama-based agency to come up with the “Trojan Trailer,” a movie trailer that has a double meaning, depending on who watches it. Ben Clare, Group Creative Director at Emotive, commented, “We wanted to draw attention to the goal by way of a simple demonstration, and by making people empathize with the problem. The idea was to draw viewers in with a movie trailer — one of YouTube’s most searched categories. Only ours contained a hidden message about illiteracy. To illiterate audiences, it was seen as a dramatic film trailer. To anyone who can read, we created a stark reminder of the difference quality education can make in people’s lives.”

Those who skip the trailer are “bombarded” with small sequences of 6-second films, with their action becoming worse gradually — an analogy for how illiteracy affects one’s life. Michelle Savill, Director, Good Oil Films, continued: “I wanted people to really think they were watching a trailer, so it had to have scale. Getting a plane out to the dunes and shooting under a summer sun was challenging in the best way and worth it for the spectacular visuals. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved.”

Fiona Walford, Head of Creative Development for Google Australia added: “We were looking for best-in-class global agencies — leaned into YouTube, with proven credentials, and great client examples on the platform — to showcase the possibilities of creating sequential stories on YouTube.”

Simon Joyce, CEO & Founder, Emotive, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Google and the United Nations to shine a light on some of the shortcomings of the education system in this country. Education liberates the intellect, unlocks the imagination, and is fundamental to self-respect. Of course, none of that is possible without the simple requirement of literacy, something that a surprising number of Australians struggle with. We hope that this campaign can spark a critical discussion that leads to change.”

The more users ignore these mini-trailers, the more tragic the action becomes. Luckily, those who watch it until the end are rewarded with a happy ending. Check out the video below to see how it all unfolds.

Credits:

The United Nations, Google

Agency: Emotive

Production Company: Good Oil Films