10 February 2016

"No More" Campaign Spreading Awareness

No More Campaign
One of the most talked about commercial a few days ago was the "No More" campaign which addresses domestic violence and promotes sexual-assault awareness. The ad aired its second Super Bowl ad during Sunday's big game — and it looks to have stopped many viewers in their tracks amid the slew of humorous spots from big-brand advertisers.

The ad depicted a text-message conversation between two friends, set to the background noise of a typical Super Bowl party.

One of the friends sends photos from the party, while the other — Jess — explains that it's probably not a good idea to be there herself because "Jake is in one of his moods."

When her friend asks about Jess' safety, Jess begins to type a reply.

The three-dots symbol for typing keeps popping up on the screen, but Jess never returns the message.

Text appears on the screen: "There are many signs of domestic violence and sexual assault. Learn how to help. Text 'No more' to 94543." People who text the number will receive messages educating them on the common signs of abuse and the steps they can take to help victims.

The 30-second commercial aired during the third quarter of the game. The airtime was donated by the NFL, which has taken steps to address domestic violence since it received heavy criticism for the way it handled running back Ray Rice's punching his then-fiancée in 2014.

No More director Virginia Witt said in a press release: "This PSA [public service announcement] captures how most young people — and many others — use texting to communicate and how sometimes saying a little says a lot. Learning more can empower people to have potentially lifesaving conversations and reach out for help. We hope this will be one more step toward the culture change we are seeking around domestic violence and sexual assault."

The spot follows No More's debut Super Bowl campaign last year. That hard-hitting commercial was based on a real 911 call in which a woman pretended she was ordering a pizza to subtly call for help.