Saatchi and Saatchi
Quite a bit has been done the world over, to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence and the need to address it. From posters, to websites, radio jingles & tv spots – the issue of violence in the domestic space is no longer private. However the issue prevails and we all know that it is due to a multiplicity of socio-cultural & economic factors. With each awareness raising attempt, we hope to chip away at the issue, break it down and bring about some positive change.
This I am sure was what Saatchi & Saatchi, Singapore was aiming for, with their ads on domestic violence and the children who are caught in the middle of it. Saatchi & Saatchi for the unfamiliar is amongst the most premier ad agencies with 150 offices in 86 countries. At this year’s Cannes International Advertising Festival which has just begun, they have already won 2 gold lions, 4 silvers and 17 bronzes. Thus, finding out that the following 3 ads belonged to their body of work, is disappointing.
The 3 ads I am referring to are:
“You pray he has a good day at work.
Or else you will have to hear your mother
getting punched again tonight.
And you pray she doesn’t talk too long
to the neighbours or bring dinner out too cold.
Or do anything else to annoy him tonight.
Because you really don’t want to hear the screams.
They make you wet the bed at night.
So you pray.
You pray that today, by some miracle,
he won’t come back at all.
NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH A MONSTER
To report instances of domestic violence, call AWARE at 6774 5935”
“Your mother acts as though nothing happened.
She makes dinner and sits at the table, staring into her plate.
He stumbles in drunk, stands behind her and says,
“I’m sorry. Do you forgive me?”
She sits silent for a long time.
You can see the bruise over her eye turning purple.
You can feel her sadness filling the room.
She nods without looking up.
He forces a kiss on her then smiles at you as if to say
everything’s fine now.
You stare into your plate.
NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH A MONSTER
To report instances of domestic violence, call AWARE at 6774 5935”
“How this morning it’s all quiet again.
Your mother’s nowhere to be seen.
But there’s a broken bedside-lamp in the trash.
Did he hit her with it?
Has she left? Has she left you behind?
What will happen to you if she really leaves?
You don’t know. You’re only ten.
All you know is it’s too quiet now.
Quiet is scary.
Sometimes it’s scarier than chaos and slamming doors,
yelling and pushing and being spat at.
NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH A MONSTER
To report instances of domestic violence, call AWARE at 6774 5935”
My first impression when I saw these ads were that they were a bit too much. I understand that to a child, his/her father may really seem like a monster if he is inflicting violence on his family, but I still think the ad would have been more effective if they showed the average man – someone that people can more easily identify with. Often abusers don’t look like the devil, and people need to process that vital piece of information. All that these ads do is invoke fear into the passerby and make the viewer sympathize. Also, it is not effective in making the viewer/reader feel like the issue affects them as well. It still comes across as ‘somebody else’s problem’. It does not demand action or intervention. We all know that nobody should be a victim of domestic violence – be it a mother, child, husband or grandparents. However, more needs to be done to show that every one can make a difference and intervene in making this issue less of a reality.
Turning to the text of the 3 ads – they paint a detailed and poignant picture – so much so, that if they stood alone they would make good ads themselves.
Overall, I feel that the makers of the ad could have used this opportunity to do more. The message that the ads send is powerful, but it’s something we’ve known for a long time. Showing what can be done about it by the average person is what is required.
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Tagged domestic violence
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