Guardian Weekly's latest ad campaign hopes to attract readers who don't want to be overwhelmed with news

Powered by its in-house creative agency Oliver in partnership with Omnicom Media Group's PHD and Kinetic, it's based around the central tagline 'Find clarity', which presents the magazine as a way for readers to digest news differently, offering a global perspective and "a pause for thought" moment in an increasingly chaotic and confusing world.

The ads feature bold, surrealist artwork from illustrator Rafael Alejandro that depict three global news events – coronavirus, Trump and the environment – with each design running alongside an accompanying statement that "The world is… 'confusing' (coronavirus), 'absurd' (Trump), and 'in crisis' (the environment). A related Guardian Weekly cover appears next to the illustrations, inviting people to 'Find clarity', with the clustered imagery juxtaposed against the calm, clear Guardian Weekly magazine.

The activity includes static and digital out-of-home advertising in both capital cities, including billboards and posters, plus prominent placement in Dublin's sought-after digital Golden Square and its public transport buses.

A special 3D build of the creative will also feature in Dublin, designed to create the illusion of a Guardian Weekly cover popping out of the poster, while additional activity is planned on digital and social media, including ads on YouTube and Twitter.

"From politics to the climate crisis, we know that European readers turn to the Guardian for a global perspective," says Kate Davies, director of brand and awareness at Guardian News & Media. "Our Guardian Weekly magazine offers a weekly digest of news from across the world, allowing people to step back from the day-to-day, reflect and find clarity. Working with OLIVER to illustrate these uncertain times, we have designed a visually striking creative to promote Guardian Weekly and highlight the Guardian's strength in offering global readers clear and trusted journalism on the issues that matter."

The Guardian's European audience has grown significantly in recent years and now accounts for around 17% of its total page views – nearly double what was in 2016. The demand for Guardian Weekly has also increased in recent months. The magazine has seen a 15% growth in its overall subscription base since lockdown and coronavirus restrictions were imposed around the world, with Germany and Ireland emerging as some of the highest growth regions for the publication in Europe.