Idris Elba Voices New Ad Highlighting Human Rights Issues in the Chocolate Industry
Tony's Chocolonely Manifesto with Idris Elba
Idris Elba and Tony's Chocolonely raise awareness on inequality and exploitation in the chocolate industry
Idris Elba is educating people about injustices in the chocolate industry for his latest project.
In a partnership with the fair trade certified Dutch-based chocolate company Tony's Chocolonely, the actor, 48, voices a new "manifesto" that raises awareness on systematic inequalities and the exploitation of workers in the chocolate industry. The spot, directed by music video director Helmi, highlights the realities of child labor in the industry, particularly in the cocoa supply chains in Africa.
“Our new brand video states our position about the issues in the cocoa industry in a globally appealing and emotional way. We have a serious message to share, and we are always looking for creative ways of getting our message across," says Thecla Schaeffer, Head of Marketing for Tony's Chocolonely, in the press release.
Elba also feels a strong connection to the issues discussed in the video. "Being an Englishman who is the son of a Ghanaian mother and a Sierra Leonian father, I am all too aware of the shocking inequalities between the West and Africa," he explained in a press release. "It's an honor for me to voice Tony’s powerful manifesto against exploitation. I really believe chocolate can be a powerful force of change and I see this collaboration as a first step to doing more great work together.”
Tony's Chocolonely
The video aims to capture the energy of Africa with vibrant colors and pop culture references while explaining Tony's Chocolonely's mission to end the exploitation of cocoa farmers where modern slavery and illegal child labor has been a norm for years.
RELATED: Chocolate Snows Down on Swiss Town Due to Factory Defect: 'Finally 2020 Delivers!'
A post shared by Tony's Chocolonely USA 🇺🇸 (@tonyschocolonely_us) on Aug 21, 2020 at 11:15am PDT
Elba believes that chocolate can be a powerful force of change. " Together with the music and the clear manifesto, the message of fair versus unfair is not only impactful but inspirational. Go sign that petition!" he says.
