Client
UNESCO
Agency
BBDO Duesseldorf
Role
Art Direction
Awards
2020 ADC Germany: 1x Silver, 2x Bronze, 1x Shortlist
2020 ADC Europe - 1x Silver
2020 NY Festival: 1x Bronze, 2x Finalist, 1x Shortlist
2020 Spotlight: 1x Silver - Digital Campaign
2019 Cannes Lions: 1x Shortlist - Mobile
2019 Cannes Lions: 1x Shortlist - Sustainable Development Goals
2019 CommAwards: 1x Silver
2019 The Lovie Awards: 3x Shortlist
UNESCO: Move for Equality
White always starts – says the first rule in chess.
Time to break the rules of the world’s most popular table game with a symbolic move – and start with black.
On March 21st, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, chess legends Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri played a symbolic game with the rule broken, to kickstart our campaign.
Because if minds can be changed in a game, minds can be changed in everyday life.
The Case
The Move
The Move
To make it happen, the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) by UNESCO
recruited chess legends Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri to do a symbolic game with the rule broken.
On March 21st, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri
posted the event on their social media under the hashtag #MoveForEquality.
The message was a big hit on the chess community. Then, organic shares would make the message bigger reaching out
for people who not necessarily are into chess culture but that were sensitive for the topic.
To make it happen, the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) by UNESCO
recruited chess legends Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri to do a symbolic game with the rule broken.
On March 21st, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri
posted the event on their social media under the hashtag #MoveForEquality.
The message was a big hit on the chess community. Then, organic shares would make the message bigger reaching out
for people who not necessarily are into chess culture but that were sensitive for the topic.
Spreading
the move
Spreading the move
Spreading
the move
Magnus changed the rules of his chess app "PlayMagnus" to the broken rule so the message could be spread further.
Also, via live stream on twitch, chess24 streamed professionals with black starting in every game.
Magnus changed the rules of his chess app "PlayMagnus" to the broken rule so the message could be spread further.
Also, via live stream on twitch, chess24 streamed professionals with
black starting in every game.
Magnus changed the rules of his chess app "PlayMagnus" to the broken rule so the message could be spread further.
Also, via live stream on twitch, chess24 streamed professionals with black starting in every game.
A place in history
A few weeks after the event, the Max Euwe Chess Museum in Amsterdam –the biggest in Europe – requested the very same pawn that moved first to be a part of the permanent collection.
The Chess Grandmasters
The Chess Grandmasters
Magnus Carlsen
Highest ranking chess player in history, World Champion
Anish Giri
Olympic Medal-Winner, #4 in FIDE ranking
moveforequality.com
THE TIMES OF INDIA
"Magnus Carlsen plays ‘black first’
in fight against racism”
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
“In anti-racist statement,
chess champs let Black move first”
21.03.2019
Breaking a rule in chess
to change behavior in life.
