Fighting Discrimination with Absurdity!

Creative Agency: Tabasco Creative Director: Anna Stina Tõnissaar Creative Director: Kerstin Raidma Designer: Kuldar Leement Animator: Joan Amjärv Project Manager: Kristina Kavak Project Manager: Katrin Pihela

Throughout the ongoing Ukrainian war, Estonia has been notable for providing significant help and aid to refugees. However, a troubling issue emerged - landlords were discriminating against Ukrainians seeking rental apartments simply because of their nationality. We found it absurd and decided to use an unconventional approach to raise awareness about the irrationality of discrimination. We launched a campaign that mirrored the discriminatory behaviour by targeting groups based on physical and unrelated characteristics such as hair colour, handedness, and tattoos. To reach a wider audience, we used various media channels, including traditional advertising and authentic-looking posters placed on rental property windows. The posters featured discriminatory messages but also included a free information hotline in both Estonian and Russian languages for people interested in learning more about the campaign. Our goal was to prompt people to reflect on their own prejudices and to realize how absurd and hurtful discrimination can be. By using humour and irony, we hoped to generate a conversation about the issue and promote a more inclusive society.