Ancestry: Railroad Ties

Family history company, Ancestry used a short TV documentary to bring its data to life and appeal to the descendants of slaves in the US.

Campaign details

Brand: Ancestry Agency: Weber Shandwick

Situation Analysis

Slavery was legal in the United States until 1865. The enslaved were considered property without full citizenship and the right to an education. Once purchased, their families might be separated and their names changed, which resulted in many histories being lost.

Thousands of slaves escaped to freedom along The Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses. Escaping, or helping a slave to escape, could result in imprisonment or death, making it critical that both enslaved people and those trying to help them, left no trace...

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