Reporters Without Borders: Fight Disinformation with Facts | Clapboard Ad Archive

Fight disinformation. Arm yourself with facts.

Description

In December 2023, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched a compelling film campaign in France titled Fight disinformation. Arm yourself with facts., created by the Paris-based agency BETC. As misinformation regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict surges and Russian propaganda continues to permeate social media, this public interest campaign underscores the critical role of journalism in countering falsehoods. The film vividly exposes the widespread dissemination of Russian propaganda denying the facts about the invasion of Ukraine, often shared tens of thousands of times across digital platforms. Through powerful imagery, the video conveys that only dedicated journalists reporting from the ground can effectively challenge manipulation, propaganda, and the flood of disinformation. This initiative follows RSF's impactful 2023 campaign addressing Vladimir Putin’s televised propaganda, further aiming to deepen public appreciation for journalism's vital function in raising awareness and motivating informed civic engagement on issues that fundamentally affect the future. Meanwhile, RSF continues to support journalists in Ukraine by offering material, psychological, and financial aid, with press freedom centers in Lviv and Kyiv welcoming dozens of reporters daily. In a novel effort to combat Kremlin propaganda, RSF also provides independent satellite TV content to Russian-speaking audiences. Targeting the general public, the campaign video will be widely disseminated via television, social media, and accessible to websites worldwide, serving both to educate and to generate essential funding for RSF’s ongoing work in Ukraine and beyond. Produced with the support of the Dutch foreign ministry and directed by Chloé Dupeyrat, this campaign powerfully champions truthful journalism as the most effective defense against disinformation.

Credits

Client

Reporters Without Borders

Agency

BETC Paris

Brand

RSF (Reporters Without Borders)

Brand Managers

Christophe Deloire, Emilie Poirier

Production House

POP (Prose On Pixels)

Director

Chloe Dupeyrat

Music

GUM

Campaign Proposition

Reporters Without Borders’ campaign “Fight disinformation. Arm yourself with facts.” positions journalism as an essential defense against the spread of falsehoods and propaganda, particularly in the context of current global conflicts. The campaign emphasizes the unique role of on-the-ground journalists in providing verified information to counteract disinformation, manipulation, and state-sponsored propaganda—specifically addressing the widespread Russian narratives denying the facts of the Ukraine invasion and the flood of misleading content about the Israel-Hamas conflict. By underscoring the risks posed by unchecked social media proliferation of false information, the campaign conveys the value of independent reporting as a critical public good necessary for informed decision-making and safeguarding democratic awareness. The strategy centers on leveraging the immediacy and reach of a documentary-style film to visually illustrate the scale and impact of disinformation, making abstract threats to truth tangible and urgent for the general public. The campaign targets engaged citizens by framing journalism not merely as a profession but as an active frontline against manipulation, inviting viewers to appreciate and support the efforts of reporters operating under challenging conditions in conflict zones like Ukraine. The use of stark imagery tied to real-world propaganda examples that have been widely shared on social platforms offers credibility and relevance, while the partnership with a respected ad agency and international support enhances trustworthiness. By making the content widely accessible across TV, social media, and digital platforms, RSF positions itself as both the source and protector of factual information, appealing to a broad audience motivated by civic responsibility and concern over global misinformation. Through this approach, the campaign not only raises awareness of RSF’s work but also serves as a call to action for financial support to sustain independent journalism where it is most threatened.

Creative Device

FORMAT#1 DEMONSTRATION — Directly shows how a product works and highlights its benefits. This campaign most closely fits the Demonstration format. The narrative and meta cues, such as “takes just seconds to demonstrate journalism’s importance in combatting disinformation” and “only the work of journalists on the ground can enable us to thwart disinformation,” point to a direct, functional reveal of the core benefit: journalism as the critical defense against propaganda. Rather than unfolding a dramatic story, using allegory, celebrity, or a testimonial, the video straightforwardly illustrates the mechanism—exposing viral Russian propaganda and then “arm[ing]” viewers with factual journalism. This presentation, which contrasts misinformation with journalistic truth in an immediate, didactic way, is emblematic of the Demonstration approach.