Recently, the United Nations asked creatives around the world to translate critical public health messages in a way that will engage, inform and educate society. Creative partners Landor and FITCH, responded to this call to action by creating Talking Windows, a poster series of visual language that unifies neighbors with simple acts of human kindness. The creative partners are behind the language, concept and design, and are using the digital-focused posters to bring people together while remaining physically apart. The family-friendly posters are lighthearted and organic; they are used to spread happiness and have fun. The colors used are neutral and fit for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, age or gender. Other posters have more serious themes. Able-bodied people can use a poster to offer to help neighbors with groceries, and people in danger can use the color red with a poster to alert neighbors. The purpose behind the posters is to keep physical distance, but maintain social closeness through connection.
FITCH Executive Creative Director, Alasdair Lennox, comments on the Talking Windows project: “The team behind this UN campaign for kindness currently live and work here in New York City. Every evening at 7 pm we hang out of our windows, go out onto our rusty fire escapes and flat rooftops, and make a lot of noise celebrating our front line workers. Albeit we have been hunkered down inside our apartments for the last 23 hours, these precious few minutes are emotional and arguably the highlight of the day. In those few minutes of pan hitting, we wave and we talk across the rooftops with each other; for some it is the only non-digital human contact of the day. This reminds us that while the majority of the world can enjoy the benefits of technology while staying home, the underprivileged and most vulnerable lack the resources to join in. Our idea focuses on bringing kindness, connection, and assistance to those who need it the most while being locked-in at home. Using windows and ordinary objects, we create a universal, visual language that unifies neighbors in simple moments of human kindness.”
