The Super Bowl ad campaign that said No More to domestic violence
What was it about?
Women aged 15-44 are at greater risk from domestic violence and rape than from war, cancer, car accidents and malaria combined. No More is a long-term public awareness campaign to end domestic violence and sexual assault in the US. The movement behind the campaign includes leading advocacy groups, individuals, service providers, major corporations and the US Department of Justice.
While it is tempting to use emotional storytelling for a charitable cause, it is more effective to empower the audience
No More’s latest campaign video was screened during the ad break of this year’s Super Bowl. I liked it because it stood out among the usual frivolity of leaping hot dogs and love-sick ponies. The film followed a text message conversation between two friends and one appeared reluctant to join the other at a Super Bowl party. This reluctance, coupled with missing a few other social occasions and then a palpable silence when questioned about her wellbeing, raised serious concerns for her safety.
The advert ended by calling on viewers to text “No More” to receive advice on the common signs of abuse and steps they could take to help victims.
How did it start?
Listen, the first No More advertisement to run during the Super Bowl.
The campaign began in 2013 with a series of print and video ads highlighting the myths and excuses that place blame on survivors and allow perpetrators to evade accountability. In 2015, the campaign ran its first Super Bowl ad, Listen (see above), which was viewed 9.6m times.
What I loved about this campaign
The smartest thing about this advert was the intentionally light handling of such a dark issue. Its gentle approach – the everyday familiarity of a text conversation – drew the audience in, so when it became apparent that something more sinister was happening, it shocked them. This, for me, meant it had a stronger impact.
The advert was produced in partnership with the NFL – it donated airtime and production costs to the campaign as continued penance for its heavily criticised handling of NFL player Ray Rice’s punching of his then fiancee in 2014.
What could other charities learn from this campaign?
While it is tempting to use emotional storytelling to show the significance of a charitable cause, it is more effective to empower the audience. Charity brands should empower people to change the world, just as the No More movement is encouraging the public to help end abuse. Organisations should ask themselves who they are trying to empower – victims, carers or bystanders? What are the obstacles that stand in the way of change and how might advertising be instrumental in removing them?
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Charities should also consider partnering with other people or organisations that share the same beliefs.
What would I have done differently?
There could have been more of a definitive call to action. The generic request to learn how to help failed to capitalise on the emotional engagement the advert generated.
The individual pieces of this campaign feel isolated and sporadic. The coalition behind it needs to tie all the advertisement together to keep the conversation going and growing.
What next?
With one in three American women reporting being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives, this is arguably one of the most pressing issues of our age. The only conceivable future for this campaign must be to crank up the volume.
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