Lifeboat – The Experiment

This campaign was set up as an unusual PR stunt to raise more awareness for Sea-Watch e.V. and the ongoing refugee crisis. Based on the emotional stories of five refugees, the simulation in a swimming pool invited a group of 40 people, who represented German society in age, gender and profession, to an immersive experiment. Sitting in a narrow dinghy on high waves, the voluntary participants experienced for hours feelings of stress, panic and anxiety almost similar to those that people develop in a real fleeing over the Mediterranean Sea. All experiences during the simulation were captured in the short documentary “Lifeboat – The Experiment” as a highly vivid and immersive visualisation. Including off- and online media touchpoints as well as selected influencers who drove traffic to the campaign website, the experiment realises a change of perspective among viewers and immediately stimulates reflection.