The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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Client: Ancestry
Date: Jan 2019
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In December 2018, director Sacha Jenkins and Ancestry gathered a group of people from across the US at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, NY to tell a story around the Underground Railroad. Ancestry identified these people as descendants of either slaves or the abolitionists who helped make safe passage for slaves possible.

The group didn’t know of their family background and were surprised with the info on-site. The meeting uncovered powerful and unexpected discoveries - from meeting new family members to uncovering new truths about family ties.

In celebration of Black History Month, the film showcases how brands can intersect with culture in a meaningful and impactful way. In tandem, Ancestry is also announcing 70 new and updated regions for consumers of African American descent, helping them unlock stories of the people and places that make up their family history.

'Railroad Ties' was released at SundanceTV HQ at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27. It will be accessible for viewing across various media outlets following its release, including digital hubs (ancestry.com/railroadties), streaming platforms and broadcast television.

The full film will be airing on SundanceTV and AMC three times throughout the month of February in daytime and primetime.

Credits

Client: Ancestry

Creative: Weber Shandwick & Katherine Dore, SundanceTV

Public Relations: Weber Shandwick

Program Development: Omnicom Media Group’s The Content Collective

Media Purchasing: OMD

Production + distribution: SundanceTV branded entertainment

Director: Sacha Jenkins, Mass Appeal