Case Study

End acid attacks: How Laika brought an unknown sight on stage

 

Client

Acid Survivors Trust International
https://asti.org.uk/

prOJECT date

July 2025

 

The brief

In March 2025, we received a request that deeply moved us. The sender was ASTI – Acid Survivors Trust International, a non-profit organization based in the UK. ASTI is committed to the worldwide prevention of acid attacks and supports survivors on their path to healing. Their vision: a world without corrosive violence.

They approached us with the following task: ASTI wanted us to develop an attention-grabbing campaign that would put the issue of acid attacks in the textile industry on the agenda of the German fashion industry. The only requirement was the timeframe, as the campaign was to take place in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Berlin Fashion Week – during the peak season of style and glamour. Our goal was to confront and move the media, fashion companies as well as the public.

 

The campaign

Our strategy was to appear visibly and be impossible to miss – while always remaining respectful towards survivors. With a three-part stunt, emotional imagery, and targeted media work, we primarily wanted to achieve one thing: discourse. And specifically, not about aesthetics, but about responsibility.

1. LED Truck: Awareness on Wheels

From Monday to Wednesday (30.06.–02.07.), a large-scale branded LED truck drove across Berlin. Instead of conventional billboards, we deliberately used the hotspots of Berlin Fashion Week and heavily frequented areas: the Uber Arena, the Kurfürstendamm, the Brandenburg Gate, and more, to bring the message to where it needed to be seen.

The key visuals highlighted the contrast between fashion’s beauty and the harsh reality that its production sites can enable acid attacks. Most attacks occur near textile industry centers, where corrosive substances are easily accessible. 

2. Image Projection: Two-faced

On the evening of June 30th, we transformed a house facade on Warschauer Straße into a projection surface for a fictional fashion cover. However, the high-gloss aesthetic of the magazine turned into a visual with powerful messages about acid attacks in the fashion industry. A silent moment in pulsating Berlin – documented for social media and the press.

3. Live Performances: Confrontation meets Couture

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the heart of the campaign followed: Live performances at highly frequented Fashion Week locations such as:

  • Kurfürstendamm, 01.07.25 – at the doors of the fashion shows of MARKE and BUZIGAHILL

  • Brandenburg Gate, 01.07.25 – Photoshoot with LED Truck

  • Uber Arena, 02.07.25 – at the entrance of the KILIAN KERNER show

  • Haus der Visionäre, 02.07.25 – in front of the doors at the HADERLUMP ATELIER BERLIN show

The performance told the story of acid attacks and highlighted the responsibility of the fashion industry. In many textile factories, employees have easy access to open acid containers – a circumstance that makes abuse possible in the first place. Numerous visitors stopped, pulled out their smartphones, and struck up conversation.

The Laika Team was responsible for the complete concept development and creative implementation of the campaign – from ideation to the final staging. This included:

  • Campaign conception and messaging

  • Media Relations: Contacting national and international (UK, FR, NL) press + coordination of interviews

  • Design and styling of all campaign assets

  • Route planning and coordination of the LED truck (incl. time slots & visuals)

  • Casting & briefing of the live performance model

  • Design of the live performance (incl. messages and music)

  • Photo documentation & content creation for ASTI's Instagram account and social media

  • On-site support during all three action days

We brought Echoposter on board as a strong, experienced partner for the realization of the outdoor advertising.

 

The results

Our campaign was loud, emotional, and effective – and became visible exactly where it mattered.

  • First publication in FACES Magazine

  • Interview with FUNKE (myself)

  • Increased interaction on ASTI's social channels

  • Engagement of fashion photographers and influencers

  • ASTI positioned as a relevant voice in the fashion industry

  • Doors opened for potential clean supply chain partnerships with fashion brands

Together with ASTI, we showed that social issues also have their place amidst the glamour of Fashion Week. The campaign was a first, but crucial, step in bringing the issue of acid attacks more strongly into the fashion industry.