FORWARD
As South Africa marked 50 years since the 1976 Youth Uprising, many of the young people who sacrificed for freedom had been forgotten. And when their stories fade, so do the lessons they hold for future generations.
CARRY THEM
MTN, in partnership with the June 16 Foundation, changed its network carrier name to Hector Pieterson, transforming more than 30 million mobile devices into living tributes that encouraged South Africans to
rediscover the stories of the youth of 1976.
Solution
As one of South Africa's largest mobile network, MTN had access to a media channel only a telco could use, the network name seen on millions of mobile devices every day.
Insight
Each execution captures a familiar, human moment of someone carrying their phone on their person, while the lock screen becomes a quiet space of remembrance. By featuring Hector Pieterson’s name within this intimate, everyday behaviour, the work transforms a simple mobile interaction into a powerful act of collective memory.
Digital
The microsite extends “Carry Them Forward” into a personal act of remembrance, allowing people to update their profile pictures with a campaign frame featuring the name of a fallen hero they choose to honour. In doing so, individual profiles become visible digital tributes, helping their stories and names live on across everyday social spaces.
OOH
The campaign began with MTN changing its network carrier name to Hector Pieterson on more than 30 million devices. Social content answered the nation's questions with the stories behind the heroes, influencers changed their profile names to carry those names further, a podcast connected the lessons of 1976 to today's youth, and thousands of South Africans joined by changing their own profile pictures. Each channel played a distinct role, but all carried the same idea: ensuring the names and legacy of the youth of 1976 were carried forward.
Execution
