Amnesty International opens hunt for agency to run global campaign

Amnesty International is seeking an advertising agency to mount a global campaign.

Its UK agency for the past six years has been Chaos International, while its media has been bought by CIA Medianetwork.

The high-profile human rights organisation has produced well-regarded ads over recent years.

In May, Chaos launched a cinema campaign based on the Oscar-winning film Dead Man Walking. The ad features an electric chair, intercut with scenes from the film, and ends with the line: “And now for your viewing pleasure.”

Last month Amnesty failed to overturn the Government’s ban on political advertising on TV and radio.

National Heritage Minister Iain Sproat said that although the charity was a worthy cause, the Government would not relax the Independent Television Authority and Radio Authority rules that have kept the airwaves free from “undue political influence” since 1954.

Amnesty spends just over 500,000 a year on advertising in the UK, which puts it in the top 20 charity advertisers.