Victim-blaming sexual harassment “PSAs” from Iran

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Friday 17 May 2013
Category: Women's Issues

Translation: “Veil is Security” We talk a lot, in the west, about victim-blaming in sexual assault and harassment ads. In Iran, however, deliberate victim-blaming is apparently the preferred strategy. This collection, put together by Buzzfeed’s Copyranter, provides translations which I have included below the images.

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Is #FitchTheHomeless really a good thing?

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Thursday 16 May 2013
Category: Activism

On the surface, it seems like the perfect activist social media stunt. After seven-year-old comments by Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, in which he claimed the brand was only suitable for “cool, good-looking” (and thin) people, resurfaced online to great protest, filmmaker Greg Karber decided to mess with the…

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Kristin signs up for the lactivist cause

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Thursday 16 May 2013
Category: Activism

It’s difficult not to develop an internet crush on Kristin Henson. The pixie-ish 26-year-old from Philadelphia has made a name for herself on social media with her YouTube series, “Dirty Signs With Kristin”. In each episode, Ms. Henson teaches viewers a new obscene phrase or term — from “hey, you’re…

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Super simple texting PSAs drive the point home

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Wednesday 15 May 2013
Category: Road safety

The premise of this 25-second PSA is so visually simple, it could have been a print ad. But the storytelling capability of video is put to good use building anticipation:

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“Buycott” app reads the corporate DNA of things you buy

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Wednesday 15 May 2013
Category: Consumerism

Are you comfortable doing business with the Koch Brothers, and giving them more money for their right wing political lobbying? Do you want to buy in to Monsanto’s efforts to modify and aggressively patent the genetics of staple food crops? Those are personal decisions in a free market economy. But…

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Guide dogs are vital for the blind

Author: Marc
Date: Tuesday 14 May 2013
Category: Health

These ads are made for the Canadian Guide Dog Association Mira. But the style is very European. Because of Erik Vervroegen, the creative director at Publicis and well-known of his work for AIDES and Amnesty International. Of course it’s teamwork but when he is involved something melodramatic or bombastic comes…

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Long Copy returns with this ad from The Animal Care Society

Author: Marc
Date: Saturday 11 May 2013
Category: Animal rights

Hard days for copywriters nowadays. Each message should be as compact as possible. Not for The Animal Care Society, a nonprofit that saves dogs and cats from euthanasia. Rather than using disturbing imagery, they chose to tell the uplifting true story of Betsy, a dog that was actually saved by…

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“Lift your skirt” for cancer prevention?

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Thursday 9 May 2013
Category: Health

We’re used to seeing sexualized approaches to breast cancer and testicular cancer. This one, for the Singapore Cancer Society, uses the famous Marilyn Monroe “upskirt” scene from the movie The Seven Year Itch to promote regular pap smears.

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PETA claims vegans are sex animals

Author: Tom Megginson
Date: Wednesday 8 May 2013
Category: Animal rights

The science is questionable. I’m pretty sure that carnivorous animals have lots of intercourse, too, and most animal sex (with exceptions such as bonobos and their uptight primate cousins, humans) is pretty nasty, brutish and short. However, I’ll still commend PETA for producing a “sexy vegan” PSA that doesn’t denigrate…

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Brighten up the world with ‘Good Morning’

Author: Marc
Date: Tuesday 7 May 2013
Category: Activism, Health, Social aid

This is a great new project from Martijn van Osch: Goodmornings. The place for you to share and enjoy goodmornings with the whole world. A team of 16 people from the Netherlands made this happen. Their goal : brighten up the world. Good morning! Bonjour! Buenos días! Guten Morgen! Bom…

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