Matheo – Burns and Smiles 2019 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Matheo - Burns and Smiles | Clapboard Ad Archive

Matheo is a 2019 public interest campaign from Burns and Smiles, developed by TBWA in France, that confronts societal perceptions of burn survivors through a deeply human documentary and social experiment approach, inviting audiences to engage with the lived realities of visible scars and the emotional labor of enduring judgmental looks. Anchored by the intimate profile of Mathéo, a real burn victim, the campaign eschews dramatization in favor of authentic user imagery, aligning with what Clapboard classifies as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery—where the subject’s experience resonates directly with the target community and invites allied audiences to reassess their biases. The campaign’s core message, encapsulated by the hashtag #SeeDifferent, challenges ingrained social behaviors by highlighting the discomfort and alienation burn survivors face, urging viewers to replace curiosity and stigma with empathy and respect. Burns and Smiles uses this narrative strategy to position itself not only as an advocate but as a catalyst for cultural change, bridging awareness with empowerment through calls to join a support community accessible on social media. TBWA’s creative execution leverages the emotional gravity of real encounters, making invisible struggles visible and fostering a collective shift in how society treats those with visible differences. Although engagement metrics remain modest, the campaign’s strategic clarity and emotional authenticity are clear, and Clapboard rates this campaign 63/100. Matheo matters because it demonstrates how public service advertising can leverage personal storytelling to humanize marginalized experiences while prompting cultural reflection, showing that empathy-driven campaigns in social categories must combine authenticity with strategic calls to action to advance social inclusion.

Credits

Client

Burns and Smiles

Agency

TBWA

Account Management

Laurent Gaudens, Natacha Chevalier, Marion Bellais

Executive Creative Director

Benjamin Marchal, Faustin Claverie

Art Director

Léna Monceau, Julia Deshayes

Crew

Maxime Boiron, Jacques Girault, Micka Arasco

Producer

Lorraine Poincignon, Antoine Bagot

Production House

WANDA

Directors

Bertrand Degove, Fabrice Robert

Post Production

WANDA, Olivier Glandais, Frank Voiturier

Editor

Cécile Dessertine

Music

TBWA\Else, Olivier Lefebvre, Fanny Mithois, Vendome UHL, Matthieu Seignez, Max Labarthe, Marion Le Guluche, The Only Living Boy in New York

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Matheo" campaign by Burns and Smiles, developed with TBWA and launched in France in 2019, serves as an impactful public interest initiative aimed at raising awareness about the challenges faced by burn victims. Central to the campaign’s proposition is the promise of fostering empathy and understanding by encouraging society to reconsider and transform the way it perceives and interacts with individuals who have visible scars from burns. The implicit value conveyed is one of dignity and inclusion, seeking to dismantle the stigma and invasive curiosity often directed at burn survivors. Strategically, the campaign employs a documentary/social experiment genre to deliver an authentic, emotionally resonant narrative that directly engages the audience on a human level. This creative choice leverages real experiences to evoke empathy, making the invisible struggles of burn victims visible and relatable. The use of the hashtag #SeeDifferent underlines the campaign’s effort to shift societal perceptions, positioning Burns and Smiles not only as an advocate for burn victims but as a catalyst for cultural change. Targeting the broader public, the campaign’s market strategy hinges on highlighting a common social behavior — the judgmental or uncomfortable looks directed at people with burns — and reframing it to challenge and change those reactions. By inviting viewers to witness and reflect on these interactions, the campaign aims to build awareness and encourage more compassionate social conduct. The supplementary call to action, directing burn victims to join a support community, further reinforces Burns and Smiles’ role in providing both advocacy and support, linking awareness with empowerment. Overall, the campaign aligns its creative and strategic efforts to foster societal change through increased visibility, understanding, and acceptance of burn survivors.

FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY — Shows a user profile the target audience can relate to or aspire to. This campaign centers on "Mathéo," a real-life burn survivor, as indicated by the campaign title and the documentary/social experiment genre. The metadata and hashtags (#SeeDifferent) suggest an intent to foster empathy and societal acceptance by providing the audience with an intimate look at the challenges faced by burn victims when confronted by others' reactions. Instead of dramatization, symbols, or overt storytelling arcs, the campaign relies on authentic documentation of a relatable user—the survivor—whose profile directly mirrors the target community or inspires allied support. This makes FORMAT#10 the closest match.

1. Croix-Rouge française (French Red Cross) – Positioned as a leading humanitarian organization, it emphasizes emergency response, health services, and community aid with a focus on volunteerism and widespread grassroots mobilization, reinforcing trust and a long-standing legacy in public service. 2. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) – Distinguished by its commitment to delivering medical aid in crisis zones globally, it leverages frontline expertise and impartiality to address urgent health needs, underscoring neutrality and rapid response in complex humanitarian environments. 3. Fondation Abbé Pierre – Focused on fighting homelessness and poor housing conditions in France, it combines advocacy, social research, and direct support, emphasizing human dignity and systemic change within the social service sector. 4. Les Restos du Cœur – Known for providing food assistance to vulnerable populations, it combines grassroots volunteer efforts with nationwide outreach, positioning itself through empathy-driven campaigns highlighting solidarity and community support. 5. Secours Populaire Français – Positioned as a broad social aid organization, it offers assistance in food, clothing, and social inclusion programs, differentiating itself by promoting equality and active citizen engagement across various socioeconomic challenges in France.

Q: What is Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent about? A: Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent is a public interest film campaign created by TBWA for the association Burns and Smiles and launched in France in 2019. The campaign focuses on raising awareness about the social challenges faced by burn victims, particularly the uncomfortable and judgmental looks they often receive. Centered on a real-life burn survivor named Mathéo, the campaign uses authentic storytelling to foster empathy and encourage society to change how it perceives and interacts with individuals living with visible burn scars. Q: What creative device does Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent use? A: Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent employs FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY according to Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This creative device focuses on presenting a relatable user profile—in this case, Mathéo, a real burn survivor—whose authentic experiences directly mirror the target audience or inspire allied support. By using documentary and social experiment elements, the campaign avoids dramatization and instead delivers an emotionally resonant narrative that invites viewers to connect with the human reality behind visible scars. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent? A: The campaign proposition for Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent is to foster empathy and understanding by encouraging society to reconsider and transform how it perceives and interacts with people who have visible burn scars. Targeting the broader public, the campaign challenges judgmental social behaviors and invasive curiosity, promoting dignity and inclusion for burn survivors. It positions Burns and Smiles as both an advocate and support network, linking awareness with empowerment through its call to action for burn victims to join a community for mutual encouragement. Q: How does Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Burns and Smiles - Awareness Campaign 2019 - Mathéo - #SeeDifferent holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Burns and Smiles's category? A: In the public interest category, Burns and Smiles competes with organizations such as Croix-Rouge française, which emphasizes emergency response and community aid through volunteerism; Médecins Sans Frontières, known for delivering impartial medical aid in crisis zones; Fondation Abbé Pierre, which focuses on fighting homelessness and advocating for human dignity; Les Restos du Cœur, recognized for food assistance and solidarity-driven campaigns; and Secours Populaire Français, which promotes equality and active citizen engagement through broad social aid programs.