Marketing & Communications

Campaign Highlights a Critical Capacity to Foster in Our Youth:
Empathy

‘It Takes a Child to Raise a Village’ shows how building more empathy at an early age can help change the world for the better.

Published 4 weeks ago | About a 4 minute read

Image: Roots of Empathy

Society is experiencing a crisis: Empathy has declined 48 percent over the last 30 years and continues to fall. Everywhere we look, we see headlines filled with societal negativity — exemplified by an unprecedented and alarming rise in xenophobia, racism, and misogyny around the world.

In recent years, initiatives from brands including Heineken, KIND and LEGO have highlighted the importance of empathy; but it can still sometimes feel antithetical in our increasingly polarized world. And while the holiday season is meant to rekindle the spirit of giving and community, sometimes all that tinsel does is hide the hate.

In recent years, creative-impact agency Public Inc’s pro-bono holiday campaigns have drawn attention to various pressing social issues — including mental health (“F U 2020”), water insecurity in Indigenous communities (“F*cking Water”) and period poverty (“Deck the Stalls”) — and the organizations working to combat them. For this year’s holiday campaign, Public has partnered with the nonprofit Roots of Empathy on “It Takes a Child to Raise a Village” — to bolster donations for the international charity’s school-based programs that help develop empathy in today’s children, so tomorrow’s leaders have the imagination and emotional skills they need to solve society’s challenges.

“Empathy, kindness and imagination are vital for any leader to be able to effectively solve the most complex problems of our society,” says Roots of Empathy founder Mary Gordon. “Empathy is the bridge that connects us all — and in our work, we’ve helped over 1.2 million children develop those foundational capacities. Our program is proven to help reduce bullying and aggression, promote resilience and wellbeing, and positively affects youth mental health. Those children go on to help change the world – that’s a gift unlike any other!”

“It Takes a Child to Raise a Village” gives viewers a different kind of look at life in a holiday village — one that’s completely devoid of empathy, until one caring child changes the entire scene.

The campaign, directed by Drew Lightfoot, takes the viewer on a tour of a miniature holiday village. The warm glow and cobblestone streets feel festive, but the people are a little too real. Instead of carolers and sledding friends, this village features people squabbling, ignoring those in need and showing a complete lack of empathy for others.

Real-life volunteers, agency staff and other people connected to Roots of Empathy’s work were scanned using 3D technology donated from Objex Unlimited and Little Canada to help bring the vignettes to life. In the end, a child’s empathy saves the day — bringing a bit of warmth back into the world. Other groups that are moved by the charity’s mission — including Pirate Sound, Hope’s Clover Farms, StylePhotos Studios Inc, Darling VFX and many more — donated their time, expertise and even their families’ miniature holiday villages to the campaign.

Appearing on Public Inc. & Roots of Empathy’s social channels, the spot calls for donations that will help bring empathy to more children across the world.

“We have a motto at Public Inc., which we try to infuse in everything we do: ‘Imagine Better.’ And that’s ultimately what Roots of Empathy is doing for children everywhere,” says Phil Haid, CEO of Public Inc. “Their programs inspire everyone who learns about them, as evidenced by all the amazing teams who have come together to help us bring this campaign to life. If you’re looking for an inspirational group to support this holiday season, Roots of Empathy should be at the top of your list.”

The campaign will run through January 1st, 2025. For more information about how you can get involved, visit rootsofempathy.org/holiday.