Tommy’s Charity Campaign Uses Shadows to Symbolise Baby Loss

Pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s is launching a campaign aimed at conveying the lifelong impact of baby loss.

'Projecting life,' created by Special London, uses shadows and reflections to illustrate both the absence of a child but also their continuing presence. The campaign centres on a short film, directed by Jackie Bao through Biscuit Filmworks UK. Elijah Swart and Oliver Brock were the creatives. 

The 60-second film features shots of a child’s shadow and reflection in puddles, with a parent calling out to them, but when the camera pans upwards there is no child there. Text on-screen says: "Pregnancy loss is a lifetime loss. Half of all adults in the UK are affected by baby loss. Our research is here to change that.”

The video then cuts to a park, where the scene shows a group of children watching a kite in the sky and their reflections in a puddle. One child remains as just a reflection. The film’s visuals were designed to evoke a profound sense of absence and unrealised potential that people live with after losing a baby.

Half of all UK adults have experienced baby loss or know someone who has, according to 2023 research by YouGov.

The campaign follows the extension of the government’s baby loss certificate scheme, announced in October, which formally recognises the loss of a baby before 24 weeks with no backdate. 

Lizzie D’Angelo, director of marketing and communications at Tommy’s, said, “Our new campaign aims to tell a story we hear so often of the devastating absence left by pregnancy or baby loss. The brief for this project was ambitious: we wanted to demonstrate Tommy’s impact as the leading pregnancy and baby charity working to make pregnancy and birth safe for everyone.

“We are so proud of this collaboration with the incredible teams at Special London and Biscuit Filmworks, and our director Jackie Bao, all of whom have generously given their contribution in kind due to a connection to our cause.”

Tommy’s appointed Special London as its creative agency in August this year and “Projecting life” is the agency’s first work.

The ad will launch with a 30-second version on Channel 4 on 22 December. The campaign includes out-of-home elements featuring shadows of children standing on a beach and in a park.

David Day, chief creative officer at Special London, said: “Like a lot of people, I didn’t realise how much pregnancy loss touches so many of us. In fact it’s so prevalent, it’s become normalised and those affected are made to feel like it’s just one of those things that happens, which has led to expectant mothers and partners having to deal with such hurt alone. It’s a delicate subject and raising awareness needs an equally delicate touch. A balance of sensitivity, poignancy and immediacy.  I believe we’ve managed to create something special that captures that spirit and in some small way supports the brilliant work Tommy's does, and helps create change.”