Blog Project #1 - Advertising

                A woman is beaten every nine seconds in the United States, according to an article in “The Huffington Post.” Three women are murdered each day in the U.S. by their male partner. There are ten million children each year who are forced to watch and are unprotected from violence taking place in their own home. One in four women and one in seven men will be victims of domestic violence over the course of their lifespan. Link here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/23/domestic-violence-statistics_n_5959776.html. 

My heart aches for those who don’t feel like they can speak out and be rescued. An advertisement being aired for the Super Bowl makes the reality of such atrocities pierce the viewer’s soul. 

                The phone is ringing in the opening of the ad, and the scene is of household decorations – a painting, a candle, and two vases. Then a voice can be heard, answering the phone by stating he was a 9-1-1 operator, and asking what was the emergency.  A woman replies with her address, as the scene switches to her living room furniture in disarray. The rug is rumpled, and there are books which appear to have been thrown to the ground.  She then asks to order a pizza for delivery, and when the operator reminds her she is on an emergency line, she specifies that she would like half pepperoni and half mushroom. He asks if she is alright, or if she is unable to talk, and she replies with a yes. He probes further, asking if there is someone in the room with her, to which she answers yes, as well. The scene continues to switch, showing the bedroom, and a wall that had been punched in. He tells her that there is an officer on the way, and asks her if she can stay on the phone, but she hangs up, and the scene fades out on a picture lying broken on the floor. The text appearing after says “When it’s hard to talk it’s up to us to listen. Help end domestic violence and sexual assault.”

                “Pledge to say nomore.org” is the final slide of this one-minute ad. I first saw it today as I was browsing through the commercials made for the 2015 Super Bowl, initially revealed to the “Wall Street Journal.” It is one in a series of ads of a larger campaign for ending assault and violence which has teamed up with the NFL. The campaign is called “No More” and you can visit the page here: http://site.nomore.org/about/. Advertisements released previously have been of NFL players left speechless, or declaring “no more.” Watch here: http://site.nomore.org/nflplayerspsa/. This time, however, it is based off the true story of a victim, who had no other way of getting help except by disguising her call.

                As far as the persuasive techniques, they didn’t choose to show a celebrity or even the face of a person at all, meaning that the person depicted could essentially be anyone. Even more apparent than the plain-folks approach, however, were the copious amounts of hidden fear injected into every second. Really, that call captured the gravity of tragedies that are happening every day and still no one talks about. They don’t just tell some random made-up story; the fact that it is a true account makes it all the more powerful. There are large numbers of people being affected by these horrifying circumstances, and yet, no one is talking about it, and making it a possibility to help. The ad was created to start a conversation, or many, and I think it will be extremely effective. More people will be watching the Super Bowl than any other show the entire year, and these victims will know that there are people that are available to talk with them.

                I have never seen any advertisement like this one. There have been many commercials harnessing the hidden-fear concept and using that to their advantage, but never like this. Never have I seen something so raw and appalling. There have been ads warning to wear your seatbelt, or commercials like “Daisy Girl” in political campaigns, but this really struck a chord with me. The target audience is for people experiencing domestic violence, so they know that they can get help, but also for those in the community who would be able to support and aid the victims. Again, it’s really trying to start a conversation and spread awareness.

                The strengths of the ad are definitely the emotional connection the viewer feels, and how real it is. Even though the viewers may be disturbed (as they should be) that these events take place all the time, and it is not only to wake the community up, but also to try to make it easier for the victims to speak out. Many people who commit their lives to helping these victims have had very emotional reactions. Here you can see the response of Sylvia Gonzalez of the Committee to Aid Abused Women (CAAW) and others working for the same cause: http://www.ktvn.com/story/27979678/domestic-violence-groups-react-to-new-super-bowl-ad.

                However, no commercial is perfect, and this one is no exception. The greatest of weakness is perhaps partially who the ad is coming from – the NFL. After several cases of domestic violence by the hand of numerous football players, some may think an ad is too little, too late. Others may find it offensive or out of place. Is it enough? Here you can see the questions brought up in a discussion with a domestic violence awareness activist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-E7Uubrj0M.

                Whichever the case, it will be memorable. The shock factor will stay in people’s minds long after the ad has stopped playing. And the hope is, though it may not be directed at the players specifically, they will know that the ad is proof that the NFL is not taking the issue lightly.

                Many people have gotten behind this campaign already, speaking out. According to the “No More” website, “the NO MORE PSAs are the result of an unprecedented collaboration of celebrities, athletes, corporations, foundations and service providers who have donated their resources to bring these hidden issues into the public eye in a way that has never been done before.” Some doubt that any action will be taken. See here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/leeigel/2015/01/30/nfls-super-bowl-psa-goes-to-show-that-fighting-domestic-violence-requires-every-tool-we-have/. However, the majority of reactions show that their use of social media is extremely effective, and there continues to be growing support and participation. I was immediately moved to find out more about the campaign, and I would recommend others getting behind this cause, as well.

                The statistics I found on the violence taking place in America’s homes were shocking, and were almost beyond belief. I know that the NFL is taking a step in the right direction with this advertisement, and I am amazed at all the responses already of people who want to help. I hadn’t heard of this organization before, as many watching the Super Bowl won’t have, but I am convinced it will stick in people’s minds much longer than any funny infomercial or movie trailer this Sunday.

                Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z_zWIVRIWk.