A chalk outline of a little girl with pigtails is hard to ignore, especially when it’s accompanied by the line ‘Sexual Abuse Kills Childhoods.’
The faux crime scene guerrilla effort is part of the latest campaign from the Montreal-based Marie-Vincent Foundation, which raises awareness about child abuse.
‘We thought, without any money, if we have a stunt, people will talk about it,’ says Michèle Petitclerc, AD at Montreal-based TAM-TAMTBWA. ‘It’s a conversation piece.’
The campaign, which launched in late April, includes a 30-second TV spot that also plays on the idea, as well as OOH efforts that depict the faux crime scenes. The Montreal guerrilla effort, done with the co-operation of the municipal government, used eco-friendly graffiti paint that the agency removed after two weeks.
‘With this type of issue, there’s no grey area. You need to be very, very strong. But there’s a fine line you can’t cross,’ explains CD Hugues Choquette. ‘People are sensitive about this cause, so you need to get their attention without making them close their eyes.’
The stunt garnered free press coverage by outlets like La Presse.
client: Jean Saint-Onge, president, board of directors; Dominique Richard, executive director; Eliane Francoeur,
co-ordinator, Marie-Vincent Foundation
agency: TAM-TAMTBWA
CD: Hugues Choquette
copywriter: Maryse Chartrand
AD: Michèle Petitclerc
account services: Valérie Bossé, Mélanie Beaudoin
print poduction: Michelle Turbide
computer graphics: Marie-Hélène Cimon
prodco: Klaxon
director: Pierre Drouin
sound: Audio Z
