Blockbuster Exhibition Explores Ground-Breaking and History Making Moments in Music

Music connects and transforms. It can be a powerful force for social and political change. An album or even a single lyric can deeply affect a person, an audience, or an entire generation. Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change, the latest exhibition from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (the Museum) showcases artists who have used their talents to promote equality and freedom.

“Music is universal and such an accessible way to get people interested in reflecting on human rights. We are so excited to welcome visitors to Beyond the Beat, which looks at how musicians have used music to make a difference.” says Louise Waldman, director public affairs.

This marks the Museum’s first major blockbusters since the pandemic and is accompanied by a launch campaign from the Museum’s AOR, Humanity, a Brand Transformation agency.

“There is an inherent link between music, concerts, and protests,” says Carolyn Shaw, president and CCO at Humanity. “Throughout history, music has and is a very powerful way to express emotions and feelings, to connect us, and to speak out on social injustices, making an impact for future generations. So many genres of music were born out of a shared yearning for liberation and understanding. Our big creative insight for this campaign was the co-relation visually and metaphorically between concerts and protests – starting with the visual of a raised fist. The movements and the drive behind both pair so beautifully together.”

The high energy hero spot includes quick match cuts that brings the energy of both concerts and protests together no matter the genre of music, along with motion graphics found in the exhibition branding and within the exhibition itself. A custom track was produced to represent the variety of musical genres featured in the exhibition. The campaign tagline “When it comes to human rights, be instrumental,” carries through TV, cinema, social, digital, print, DOOH and radio.

“We love the co-creation approach led by Humanity; we’ve ended up with a campaign which really captures the energy and experience our visitors will have with the exhibition,” says Waldman.

The exhibition itself, developed and designed by the Museum team, opens February 2nd and runs until September 2024. Campaign creative was led by Humanity, video production was led by Mast Creative, with Arrivals + Departures Media handling the media buy.