UNSILENCE THE VIOLENCE
THIS ANTI-SEXUAL HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN FOR TERRE DES FEMMES BECAME A GLOBAL PHENOMENON, SWEEPING EVERY MAJOR AWARD SHOW INCLUDING CANNES LIONS, ADC, AND LIA. BUILT ON A POWERFUL OBSERVATION – THAT FEMALE BRONZE STATUES WORLDWIDE SHOW VISIBLE WEAR ON THEIR BREASTS FROM INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING – WE TRANSFORMED THESE STATUES INTO ADVOCATES FOR THE TWO OUT OF THREE WOMEN WHO EXPERIENCE SEXUAL HARASSMENT. WITH ZERO MEDIA BUDGET, THE CAMPAIGN GENERATED 198 MILLION EARNED IMPRESSIONS IN 48 HOURS.
Date
April 2024
Agency
Scholz&Friends
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The Challenge
CREATE AWARENESS FOR A TABOO SUBJECT THAT’S SYSTEMATICALLY TRIVIALIZED AND IGNORED. SEXUAL HARASSMENT AFFECTS TWO-THIRDS OF GERMAN WOMEN, YET VICTIMS OFTEN REMAIN SILENT DUE TO SHAME OR FEAR OF NOT BEING BELIEVED. THE CHALLENGE WAS BREAKING THROUGH SOCIETY’S TENDENCY TO LOOK AWAY FROM UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS AND SPARK A CONVERSATION THAT COULD NO LONGER BE IGNORED.
The Solution
WE TURNED THE STATUES THEMSELVES INTO THE MESSAGE. PLACING INSTALLATIONS NEXT TO THE GOLDEN, WORN BREASTS OF FAMOUS STATUES IN MUNICH, BERLIN, AND BREMEN WITH THE LINE „SEXUAL HARASSMENT LEAVES ITS MARK,“ WE CREATED AN UNDENIABLE PARALLEL BETWEEN BRONZE AND FLESH. THE STATUES BECAME SPOKESWOMEN, THEIR VISIBLE DAMAGE PROOF THAT UNWANTED TOUCHING ISN’T HARMLESS – IT LEAVES PERMANENT TRACES. WE GAVE THESE SILENT WITNESSES A VOICE TO BREAK THE SILENCE FOR ALL WOMEN.
