In 1914, German soldiers made their way through Aarschot, Dendermonde and Leuven on their way to France. After what has since been called The Rape of Belgium, the cities of Aarschot, Dendermonde and Leuven became known as the martyr cities. The cities wished to commemorate these horrifying events 100 years later.
The baseline “On the road to Flanders fields” was the key element in the campaign, along with a campaign website that was used to publish the remembrance programme.
We introduced the message on Flemish streets, on the sides of buses, on posters, on flags and in programme brochures. All in very bright colours. So very different from other war imagery, in other words.
123
Cups of coffee
55,3
on the server
329
Photoshop files
413
old war photos
150
burnt books
200
hours of research
We sent embassies and the press a burnt book to inform them about the programme. It was a reference to the fire in Leuven’s university library 100 years ago, an act of barbarism, during which thousands of books were lost.
And for once, we asked Leuven resident and war reporter Rudi Vranckx to shoot a war report in his own country, which premiered at the Docville Documentary Festival.
Radio ad
All the open-air concerts and theatre performances were sold out and Leuven, Dendermonde and Aarschot attracted a lot of day tourists. Many of the amazing exhibitions that were organised during this remembrance period were a real success.