Ad agency Garbergs made changes to a beauty advertisement in Sweden so that more people understand the importance of fighting cancer.
The original ad was released by agency Akestam Holst for one of Apolosophy's shampoo products earlier this year, according to CNET. The company connected a Raspberry Pi computer full of sensors to a billboard that showed a woman's head. A video triggered by trains showed up in a subway tunnel would show the woman's hair waving as if the air from the subway cars was causing it to blow.
Garbergs's ad, which ran over a weekend in Stockholm's Odenplan station, shows the girl's hair flows smoothly at first, as it does in the original. However, her hair flies off her head, revealing her to be bald and suffering from cancer. The ad then says that a child is diagnosed with cancer every day and asks those who watch it to text "HOPP" to 72 900 donate to the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation in order to help these children. Garbergs videotaped people's reactions to the billboard.
When asked if the idea for the ad was stolen from Akestam Holst, Sedir Ajeenah, a copywriter at Garbergs, said the ad was created through cooperation between the two companies, CNET reported.
"We're friends with the people at Akestam Holst," Ajeenah said. "The ad industry in Sweden isn't that big, you know."
The video for the ad is titled "A Hair-Raising Message" and was able to get over 15,000 views in the first two days that it was on YouTube.
Those interested in donating to the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation can watch the ad below.
