Propuesta Cívica: #StillSpeakingUp
Propuesta Cívica and RSF tasked Publicis México with reigniting public outrage over the systemic silencing of Mexican journalists. With over 130 murders since 2007, the goal was to pressure the government for better protection and legal action. They needed a way to break through societal complacency and give a voice back to those who had been violently silenced by cartels and corruption.
Creative Idea
Resurrected a murdered journalist via deepfake AI to speak truth to power without fear.
To break the silence surrounding journalist murders, the campaign used deepfake AI to resurrect Javier Valdez on the Day of the Dead, allowing a murdered reporter to confront the President and provide a safe, anonymous platform for living colleagues.
The Only Journalist Who Can Speak Without Fear
A Voice Synthesized From Family
To achieve an authentic likeness of Javier Valdez, Publicis Latvia moved beyond standard AI. Because no high quality audio of Valdez existed for certain phonetic ranges, the production team recorded the voices of male members of Javier’s family. By blending their vocal patterns, they synthesized a voice that matched his unique Sinaloan cadence. This technical feat was anchored by the director Karen Gómez and production houses including The Lift and Catatonia, ensuring the "revival" felt spiritually resonant rather than a mere tech gimmick.
The Emotional Zoom Ambush
Before the public launch, the agency invited prominent Mexican journalists to a Zoom call under a different pretext. They "surprised" the group by revealing the revived Javier Valdez on screen. The genuine, visceral reactions of his former colleagues - many of whom were moved to tears - became the fuel for the initial PR wave. This strategy turned influential reporters like Monica Cruz Rosas and Alejandro Meléndez into the campaign’s first ambassadors, who then coordinated a simultaneous social media "blast" to break the news.
Justice Beyond the Screen
The campaign’s impact moved from digital impressions to the federal court system. By generating 349 million organic impressions and $5 million in earned media, the project created the public pressure necessary to restart stalled legal proceedings. This led to a historic milestone: the conviction of six murderers for crimes against journalists. By launching on the Day of the Dead, the campaign leveraged the cultural belief that the deceased return to speak, proving the creative insight that the only person who can safely confront the President is someone they cannot kill twice.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A legal NGO dedicated to protecting journalists and seeking justice for those murdered in the line of duty.
Category
NGOs often use tragic statistics or traditional memorials that fail to spark real political pressure or systemic change.
Customer
Mexicans had become desensitized to the daily news of murders, viewing journalist deaths as an unavoidable, silent tragedy.
Culture
The Day of the Dead tradition, where the deceased return to speak, provided a culturally resonant window for AI resurrection.
Company
A legal NGO dedicated to protecting journalists and seeking justice for those murdered in the line of duty.
Category
NGOs often use tragic statistics or traditional memorials that fail to spark real political pressure or systemic change.
Strategy:
Weaponize the immunity of the deceased to bypass censorship and force accountability through undeniable digital presence.
Customer
Mexicans had become desensitized to the daily news of murders, viewing journalist deaths as an unavoidable, silent tragedy.
Culture
The Day of the Dead tradition, where the deceased return to speak, provided a culturally resonant window for AI resurrection.
Strategy:
Weaponize the immunity of the deceased to bypass censorship and force accountability through undeniable digital presence.
Results
The campaign achieved significant global impact, generating over 349M organic impressions. It secured more than $18M USD in earned media value. The initiative was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and El País. It sparked a national conversation in Mexico regarding the safety of journalists and the freedom of the press, culminating in a formal petition (The Decalogue) asking the government to commit to protective policies.
349M
organic impressions
$18M+
earned media value
10
policy points in the Decalogue petition
Strategy Technique
Attack a Cultural Blind Spot
It confronted the normalization of violence against journalists in Mexico, forcing the public and government to face a reality they had become desensitized to.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Cutting-edge Tech
It utilized deepfake AI and voice synthesis to recreate a murdered journalist's likeness, turning a controversial technology into an ethical tool for justice and free speech.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign leverages cutting-edge AI technology to create a powerful political statement, turning a tool often used for misinformation into a vessel for truth.
The use of deepfake technology to 'resurrect' a murdered journalist is a provocative and highly effective use of AI for social justice.
The script for the deepfake Javier is incredibly sharp, particularly the line 'they can't kill me twice,' which serves as a powerful rhetorical shield.
