It’s hard to turn a blind eye to these domestic violence ads

Having been in the ad business for some time, I’ve become pretty discriminating. Creativity is all well and good, but no brief ever listed it as a business objective. Conversely, ads with nothing different or memorable aren’t worth writing about.   

It’s not often that I see an ad that does both well. So imagine my surprise when I saw two them on the same day (actually they were back to back on Adfreak) for the same cause no less.

This one, created by Ireland Davenport for the Salvation Army in South Africa, cleverly capitalizes on the buzz of “the dress” to call attention to domestic violence.

Why is it so hard to see black and blue?" asks the headline. The copy underneath reads, “The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in 6 women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women."

Why it’s brilliant: While many promotions try to tap into trending topics, few are able to really pull it off. Most of the time, the connection is a stretch, making the brand seem disingenuous at best, and downright exploitative at worst. But this ad manages to create a seamless tie-in through both visuals and words. It’s simple, yet powerful.

The other ad is much more complex, but just as impressive. The digital billboard starts with an image of a battered woman. As people look at the ad, the wounds on the model’s face begin to disappear. The message is: taking notice of the problem is the first step to fighting it.

WCRS, the agency behind the campaign for client Women's Aid, incorporated facial recognition technology to identify how many people are looking at the ad and adjust the image accordingly. The campaign also incorporates mobile in asking for donations.

Why it’s brilliant: The interactive nature of the billboard makes it highly engaging and memorable. But this isn’t the case of an advertiser just playing with new tools. The technology plays a central role in communicating the message.

Advertisers can learn a thing or two from these efforts.