Avaaz.org has long been campaigning for the US Administration to close Guantanamo Bay. Earlier in the year, when it became clear President Obama was under pressure from Congress to reconsider his commitment to shut it down, Avaaz launched a fundraising drive to buy billboards in the heart of Washington DC asking the President to ‘Stay Strong’.

Avaaz engaged Make Believe to design a hard-hitting creative for the billboard - designed to provoke conversation about the campaign’s message. Make Believe provided strategic messaging advice, and worked closely with Avaaz’’s campaigners to design six creative concepts guranteed to get the message across.

The key creative - Osama Bin Laden in an ‘I love Guantanamo Bay’ t-shirt was rejected by the managers of Avaaz’s original giant billboard location, so the campaign was transplated to Faragut North metro station near the White House - with more than 60 placards, banners, posters and billboards plastered throughout every ad space in the station. The ad was also placed in the Washington Post.

The campaign received massive media coverage, including an AFP wire story and photo used worldwide - from Al Aribiya to Yahoo Espana, to Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

Avaaz has been told by insiders that the controversial campaign has helped re-ignite the debate among the national security community and demonstrated a much-needed, powerful and energetic constituency against torture.

Check out www.avaaz.org!