Join the Fight Against Malaria with an Interactive AR Filter from Malaria No More UK

dentsu international and Malaria No More UK have joined forces with Facebook and acclaimed Nigerian artist Láolú Senbanjo, to launch the latest component to their Zero Malaria campaign. 

Dentsu’s global creative experience agency, Isobar, created the new AR Instagram filter to mark World Mosquito Day 2021. The filter brings to life the striking visual language of “The Muundo”, created as part of the global ‘Draw The Line Against Malaria’ campaign. The campaign creative was led by Isobar, and the filter was created by Whitespace, a UK-based Isobar company.

The ‘Muundo’, created by acclaimed Nigerian artist, activist, and human rights lawyer, Láolú Sebanjo, is a beautiful, eye-catching visual representation of the actions that are needed to end malaria once and for all within a generation, from cutting-edge technology and innovations to increased investment and bold political actions. 

It was designed to inspire the digital youth contingent to show support for the malaria campaign, and invites audiences to add their own unique line to a collective message to world leaders on the Zero Malaria website, www.zeromalaria.org

With the launch of the new filter here, Instagram and Facebook users can join the fight against malaria by having the Muundo artwork virtually painted on their face, and by inviting friends to draw their own line against this deadly disease that still kills a child every two minutes. 

The face filter is the latest in a series of high impact interventions from the team behind the ‘Draw The Line Against Malaria’ campaign, a unifying, ground-breaking, and inspiring global platform that has captured the youth and public imagination, first launched across Africa in February 2021.  

Part of dentsu international’s global pro bono partnership with the charity Malaria No More UK, the campaign aims to generate mass awareness and high visibility for the Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement across malaria-endemic countries and beyond, and reflects the huge energy, talent, and cultural influence emanating from the African continent. 

Influencers across Africa, including @mawuli_gavor, @laolunyc, @lindough_rsa, @jenniferbala, @drfezmkhize and @regodise, have already taken to Instagram to share the filter with their followers and build support for the movement line by line.

Daniël Sytsma, chief design officer, Isobar & Creative, dentsu says: “The Draw The Line campaign celebrates the creativity and positivity from a generation that is ready to claim their future. This filter is providing young people another tool to speak up and deliver a powerful message to demand action from political leaders.” 

Chris Davey, head of creative at Whitespace - An Isobar Company added: “Allowing young people around the world to virtually wear the Muundo artwork and be a part of this incredible campaign sends a powerful message to others to join the fight against ending malaria. There were some technical challenges to over-come when developing the filter, but we are over the moon with the results and it’s great to see how it is being shared already.”

Kate Wills, director of global communications and partnerships at Malaria No More UK says: “Malaria steals futures and now is the time to take them back. Draw The Line delivers a brilliant opportunity to really challenge the traditional narrative about Africa, and this latest iteration of the campaign once again reflects the incredible energy and talent literally bursting out of the continent.  It’s so uplifting to focus on young people as agents of change when it comes to fighting this treatable and preventable disease because our actions today will help them to thrive and realise their enormous potential.”  

The ‘Draw The Line Against Malaria’ campaign was created by dentsu international, who led the creative strategy, concept, production, and media, and developed by a coalition of agencies, including the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), the African Union Commission, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Impact Santé Afrique, Malaria No More UK, RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and Speak Up Africa.

Since launching in Africa in February 2021, ‘Draw the Line Against Malaria’ has continued to build momentum with a  supporting animation voiced by Grammy Award-winning Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist, Yemi Alade, on World Malaria Day in April this year. Isobar UK and Malaria No More UK also launched a new interactive tracker in June to help Commonwealth countries review progress against their commitments in the fight against malaria.