Hasta La Creative!

Nkaitole flew high above the earth so that we might gain some perspective. And for a child who’s never been in a hot air balloon before, that’s a pretty big deal. It’s Nkaitole’s first time seeing the world from 1,000 feet in the air, looking down onto the treetops. Normally, his time is spent underneath those same trees, escaping the African sun after a hot day of work. He has never seen a propane-fueled flame that can be turned on and off whenever the pilot wants. He’s used to rubbing two sticks together until they are hot enough to light the tinder. And, unlike most kids his age, he’s never seen a balloon before. Not just one as big as this either, but a balloon of any size. Because in Nkaitole’s remote village, they don’t have the same luxuries we do. Not even close, considering they don’t have clean water to drink. And, as a result, one in five children die before their fifth birthday. Which makes this hot air balloon ride more than just an opportunity to see the world from a new perspective. It makes this hot air balloon ride one of the many things on Nkaitole’s bucket list. Something no four year old should even have in the first place. To make a change in the life of Nkaitole and other children like him, donate to WATERisLIFE.com.

Advertising Agency: DDB, New York, USA
Chief Creative Officer: Matt Eastwood
Executive Creative Director: Menno Kluin
Group Creative Director: Andrew McKechnie
Associate Creative Directors: Frank Cartagena, Sam Shepherd
Head of Design: Juan Carlos Pagan
Designer: Brian Gartside
Photographer: Alec Helm
Photographer: Frank Le Blanc
Retouching: John Cason
Head of Production: Ed Zazzera
Producer: Nina Horowitz
Published: December 2013