Creatives collaborate to warn of dangers of sexual harassment

A group of senior creatives have banded together to create a set of hard-hitting ads designed to challenge and confront the sexual harassment and misogyny young adlanders face in the industry every day.

The campaign is also designed to show them where and how they can get support.

The work, which was inspired by harrowing and horrendous personal experiences, features two photographs viciously twisting the trope of welcome gift bags that new recruits to the industry often receive from HR.

On first look, the bags look like a fun, harmless welcome package. However, on a closer inspection, instead of the usual innocuous and tepid fare of bags of sweets, company-branded pens and a book by some strategist or other, the alarming reality of the items is revealed.

The bag for women features items such as: an evidence bag for collecting DNA after a sexual assault; a dictaphone: to record abuse, threats and gaslighting incidents; and antidepressants to help with burnout and mental illness.

The male bag includes: a megaphone to call out misogyny; a copy of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; and a tIme to stop men from dominating airtime in meetings.

Each ad also features contact numbers and direct helpline information for NABS, Equality Advisory Support Service and Rape Crisis, which has a webchat that people can use.

Called The Change Collective, the group is made up of senior creatives, photographers and PR experts who are frustrated at the lack of support for women, sexual harassment victims and the NDA culture within the industry that allows perpetrators of this behaviour to remain in positions of power, despite their wrongdoing. The collective wants to open the industry's eyes to the bleak fact that some people who are in positions of influence can remain impartial to the abuse.

A senior creative and member of The Change Collective said: “The sexual harassment and misogyny people face daily within the industry is frustratingly and depressingly all too common. The work comes from a place of sad truth and bitter experience and we collectively as experts in our field who love what we do, wanted to find a way to try and protect our community."

Credits:

Creative agency: The Change Collective

Creative director: The Change Collective

Creatives: The Change Collective

Photographer: Emily Stein

Production Company Producer: James Gerrard-Jones

Production Company: Wyatt Clarke Jones

Hand Lettering: Alison Carmichael @ Jelly London

Post-production: Curious Productions