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Brave Enough To Ride - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland | Clapboard Ad Archive
Brave Enough To Ride, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland’s campaign conceived by Lucid and published in the Public Service market category in 2017, leverages Finland’s rapidly growing hobbyhorsing phenomenon as the locus for a potent, culture-forward brand narrative. At its center stands a short film that fully commits to the real user experience, casting hobbyhorse riders not as novelties but as authentic, aspirational figures whose resilience and communal spirit reflect the broader ambitions of Finnish society. Rather than defaulting to product attributes or traditional features, the campaign expertly deploys what Clapboard's taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery, foregrounding real participants to establish both relatability and aspiration. By aligning with the burgeoning hobbyhorsing community—thousands strong across the Nordic region—the Ministry signals a progressive stance, positioning itself as an advocate for non-mainstream passions and innovative cultural identity. The collaboration with leading Finnish fashion labels to create a limited edition urban apparel collection does more than capitalize on the visual eccentricity of hobbyhorsing; it recasts the hobby as a stylish, genre-transcending act of bravery, inviting viewers to consider what it means to be courageous in the pursuit of unconventional interests. Under the campaign’s rallying banner #BraveEnoughToRide and the evocative call to action Are you brave enough to ride, the messaging sidesteps earnest advocacy and instead issues a bold, inclusive challenge to the audience, flipping the narrative from tolerance to admiration. This approach taps into the global appetite for stories of creative subcultures, but does so with a distinctly Finnish visual and cultural sensibility, making the Ministry’s public diplomacy efforts feel fresh and relevant. Clapboard rates this 76/100. For brand-side marketers and agency creators, Brave Enough To Ride stands as a compelling lesson in embracing fringe movements to redefine national identity campaigns, especially when those movements are translated visually and narratively with both authenticity and style.
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