Denzel Washington-Backed ‘Chicago: America’s Hidden War’ Campaign by Six+One Honors 10,600+ Lives

Chicago: America’s Hidden War, the documentary with Denzel Washington as an executive producer, is reaching audiences on Prime Video alongside an outdoor campaign built from the names of more than 10,600 people killed by gun violence in Chicago.

Created by independent creative agency Six+One, “This Is Our War” brings the film’s message to billboards across Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. The names form the backdrop of the campaign, putting individual lives behind the statistics and asking people beyond the affected neighborhoods to care.

The documentary examines gun violence through the experiences of Chicago residents living with its consequences and the people working to help their communities. Washington has called it “one of the most powerful and honest films I’ve ever been a part of.”

Six+One’s involvement extends beyond marketing. Founder and Chief Creative Officer Eric Rojas served as an executive producer, and the agency collaborated with director Daylight Supreme to help shape the documentary’s story and edit while developing its trailers, key art, website and campaign.

“Working on this film was one of the hardest projects we’ve ever worked on. What these families have lived through is hard to sit with. It’s still relevant and people need to see it — our job doesn’t end because the film is out,” said Rojas.

The campaign extends that commitment beyond the screen, bringing the names of those killed into public spaces in three cities.

“This isn’t just Chicago’s war. This is our war,” said Rojas. “Those 10,600 names in the background of the billboards and wild postings represent someone missing—and more names are being added to that list every day. You don’t have to live on their block to care about what happened to them or to do something.”

Six+One is a New York City based branding, advertising, and production agency built on the belief that creativity should do more than sell, it should serve. Guided by its philosophy of Disruption for Good, Six+One partners with brands, organizations, and communities to create work that is culturally relevant, strategically sound, and grounded in purpose. Known for turning everyday moments and unexpected surfaces into platforms for storytelling, the agency helps redefine how brands show up in the world, thoughtfully, playfully, and with impact. Learn more at sixplusone.com.