VML: Líra’s Unsealed Books

After a law was passed by the Hungarian Parliament to ban the promotion and portrayal of homosexuality among minors, Líra, one of the country’s largest bookstores, was fined nearly $36,000.

The book chain was fined for not wrapping books portraying homosexuality in plastic foil. The fine caused international outrage. The definition of the law was so broad that The Iliad, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, and even Harry Potter all fell under its scope.

“The fine was not only an attack on Líra bookstores, but also on the freedom of literature. We needed a solution to stand up for what our brand is about – opening minds.” Krisztián Nyáry, CMO, Líra

Since the law only mentioned books, VML and Líra used audio storytelling as a way to circumvent the government’s requirement for bookstores to wrap censored books in plastic – thus providing access to literature for everyone.

The censored books were read by Hungary’s most famous LGBTQ+ actors, influencers, and musicians, who lent their voices to the audiobooks and shared them on social media with their followers. VML and Líra also recorded the text of these books and distributed them as podcasts for audiences to experience the stories.

"Unsealed Books" had an unprecedented result: the law that censored the books was overturned, and Líra didn't have to pay the fine. On social media, the audiobooks reached a combined 3.9 million people, and major press in the country spread the word about the campaign.