Every 48 hours a woman in Canada is killed, most often by a man. Because she is a woman. Yet, many Canadians still don’t understand this critical difference between femicide and homicide. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a one of a kind bag was created to highlight the difference, and help Canadians understand this national emergency.
“It’s hard for people to care about something they have never heard of. Femicide is defined by the why; women are being killed because they are women. To make Canadians understand femicide, we had to feminize homicide,” said Alexandra McGuirk-Penedo, sr. art director, Forsman & Bodenfors Canada.
This creative campaign, “The Body Bag For Her,” is a collaboration between Forsman & Bodenfors Canada and Aura Freedom, a Canadian non-profit specializing in eradicating gender-based violence. The campaign highlights the femicide emergency by leaning into classic advertising tropes for targeting women. Want to make something feminine? Turn it pink and you have a product “For Her”. These gendered tropes are so ingrained in our society that it became the perfect way to highlight the difference between femicide and homicide.
“We have a tendency in society to treat gender and gender roles as life or death, until it actually is,” said Darby Clarke, sr. copywriter, Forsman & Bodenfors Canada.
This hero spot takes viewers unknowingly through the journey of creating The Body Bag For Her, before revealing the stark imagery of the pink body bag. It is meant to be shocking, because femicide is shocking. Directed by Geneva Pesch via Folktale Films, the PSA culminates by directing viewers to a petition created by Aura Freedom, that calls on the Government of Canada to declare femicide a national emergency so resources on preventive solutions can be unlocked to address the root causes of femicide and keep women and families safe. Print, OOH, social, influencer marketing and broadcast all direct Canadians to a microsite that houses more information on femicide and the petition.
CreditsClient Aura Freedom Marissa Kokkoros, executive director; Danielle Warren, development manager Agency Forsman & Bodenfors Canada Glen D’Souza, head of creative; Kate Thornloe, creative director; Alexandra McGuirk-Penedo, sr. art director; Darby Clarke, sr. copywriter; Brittany Hall, designer; Andrew Carty, head of strategy; Jason Pearson, integrated producer; David Quach, director of content; Jamie Emmanuel, assistant editor; Dee Flores, sr. production artist; Amyna Jiwani, production artist. Production Company Folktale Films Geneva Pesch, director; Jesse Louttit, DP; Kyle Welton, line producer; Tom Evelyn, Hubert Davis, exec producers. Editorial Nimiopere Bryan Reuben, editor; Aiden Gugula, assistant editor; Julie Axell, Paula Hicks, exec producers. Music/Sound TA2 Jeff Lurie, audio director; Adam Ive, engineer; Christine Leslie, exec producer. Color/VFX Alter Ego Wade Odlum, sr. colorist; Malini Khotsiphom, color assistant; Jake Hussey, VFX artist; Spencer Butt, post producer. Additional Footage David Quach, Alexandra McGuirk-Penedo, photography; Kobi Ntiri, video. Bag Manufacturer Cactus Sewing Studio Kristin Somborac, designer; Melinda Dempster, builder.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More