During the first few weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown, the Kantar Lisle office closed its doors to all but a few hand-picked employees whose presence in the office was deemed essential. I was one of those employees. When the work stopped coming in, I took advantage of the lull and created a video for my peers who were feeling anxious and afraid.
I had a rough idea in mind as well as a song stuck in my head. I put the two together and produced a heart-felt love letter of sorts. My idea was to portray the office space itself speaking to the 250-or-so employees who normally inhabit the space. Basically, the narrative is that of the office lamenting on the loss of its employees but also providing optimism that reunification will be realized soon.
After posting this video on the company intranet site (WorkPlace), I received an outpouring of sympathy and support from employees all over the world. One Lisle employee wrote that she was brought to tears after viewing it, but also felt better knowing that better times would be ahead. Other employees expressed their solidarity as well as their thanks for a message that needed to be heard during a difficult time.
The overall effect of the project was improved morale both in the Lisle office and beyond. The video also brought attention to my department (Media Solutions) and spurred interest in further projects for other departments.