FCB & MPOWERD's Animated Spot Shines Light on Energy Poverty

FCB Garfinkel, in collaboration with the animation company The STUDIO, the composers from Found Objects and MPOWERD Inc., creators of the Luci inflatable solar light, shines a spotlight on energy poverty in a new, animated video that follows a young child’s journey and showcases the importance of access to energy.

In total, 1.4 billion people, largely in developing communities, live without access to grid electricity.  Across sub-Saharan Africa, 90 million primary students are without electricity. And, each year, indoor pollution from dirty fuels results in four million deaths.  Luci is an easy-to-use, high-quality solar lantern and task light that is lightweight, maintenance-free, safe and waterproof. It is a high-impact and low-footprint resource to increase access to reliable lighting Using a fresh approach to traditional shadow puppetry storytelling by combining an old artistic technique with a digital one, “Give Luci” tells the story of a boy named Kiama on his journey to and from school. 

Kiama, like many children, has big dreams. As Kiama heads home from school to have dinner with his family, he settles in but so does the sun. That causes Kiama’s world to go dark. Kiama’s lack of access to light means he, like millions of other children, cannot study at night or do his homework, which in turn dampens his dreams and his potential. 

Enter Luci, the solar-powered light. The video ends with the message “no one’s story should end just because the sun sets” and encourages viewers to give a Luci to households like Kiama’s by visiting mpowerd.com/give. The Give Luci program allows customers to purchase Luci lights (the first at the regular retail price of $14.99 and each additional one at a discounted rate of $9.99) that will be sent directly to communities in need through one of MPOWERD’s NGO partners.

“We know that energy poverty is a topic that isn’t discussed very often,” says Scott Kling, president and COO of MPOWERD. “But making a big impact is easy. When people purchase even just one Luci light and gift it to someone in need, it can change the lives of a family of five and keep 320kg of CO2 out of the atmosphere annually.”

Lee Garfinkel, CEO of FCB Garfinkel, says explaining energy poverty is tough when the public isn’t always aware of the problem. “The story of Kiama brings his daily struggle to life and, through the help of the Luci solar-powered light, illustrates how a simple idea can have an incredible impact.”