DoN receives "ISA Bell" award for Smiling Gecko project
The Zurich sound agency Department of Noise has been honored with a main prize for its work for the NGO founded by star photographer Hannes Schmid in Cambodia.
"Give every child equal access to music education and watch the world become a better place." This guiding principle has accompanied Hannes Schmid since the founding of Smiling Gecko For the star photographer, "The Power of Sound and Music" is an important element of sustainable development aid.
Since 2017, the Zurich-based sound agency Department of Noise has been supporting the NGO Smiling Gecko as a partner for all its sound needs. "Hannes is a natural storyteller," says Ph!L!pp Schweidler, partner at DoN: "It took us less than 5 minutes to get excited about his endeavor."
In the meantime, countless projects have been implemented: from fundraising songs to sound identity with various sound elements that are used in Smiling Gecko's communication. With the cultural and music center "The Gong", a visionary project will be launched in 2023: It is intended to lay an important building block for the recovery of a cultural identity for Cambodia, which is still characterized by the rule of the Red Ghmer. At the same time, a platform will be created on which fresh local and international creativity in a wide range of disciplines can unfold far beyond the country's borders.
DoN has packed the needs of the stakeholders into an interwoven creative hub consisting of an auditorium, video and sound studios and an event zone. Since the official opening celebrations at the end of June 2024, the building has been filled with life and the empowerment of local creatives to operate the facility independently is in full swing.
Department of Noise has now been honored by the global jury of the International Sound Awards in Hamburg with a main prize for the creative and strategically considered conception and implementation of Smiling Gecko. "Of course we are delighted with every award. Being able to receive one for this heartfelt commitment is of course doubly valuable. Because it helps to carry the project out into the world, to get people excited about the cause and to encourage them to get involved," says Schweidler about winning the award.
Responsible at Smiling Gecko: Hannes Schmid (Founder and creative head), Sokleap Ngon (Executive Director SGC), Jörg Bewersdorff (CCO), Thomas Hemschemeier (CMO), Jürg Wey (Art Direction). Responsible at Department of Noise: Florian Goetze and Ph!L!pp Schweidler (Strategy and Creative Direction), Yves Gerber (Creative Producer).
This article originally appeared on markt-kom.com - https://www.markt-kom.com/de/markom/awards/don-erhaelt-isa-bell-award-fuer-smiling-gecko-projekt/
