Music videos fall victim to Ukraine conflict

Previously a popular filming location, Ukraine has been edited out of music videos by leading artists in a stark reminder of the war.

da Maud Largeaud , AdForum

As the war in Ukraine passed its grim first anniversary, the Belgian Red Cross and the agency BBDO marked the date with an operation encouraging young people to donate. Ukraine has often been used as a location for music videos, filmed in areas where the “shooting” is now very real. Many of the settings themselves have been devastated. To highlight this, several music artists – including Ed Sheeran, Tame Impala and Years & Years – agreed that their music videos could be modified to remove the images filmed in Ukraine. A message on the blank screen reminds viewers that people and buildings in Ukraine are now at risk of disappearing.