A startling new campaign video from Canada’s leading non-profit that combats human trafficking has revealed a staggering fact: within one kilometre, someone is being lured into sex trafficking.
The campaign, called “See the Trafficking Signs” and developed by agency Diamond for the Joy Smith Foundation, aims to end the sex trafficking crisis in Canada by raising awareness of what it looks like. It hinges on the aforementioned video, directed by Taylor Reid of Untitled Films, that shows how young people can be groomed, lured and coerced into the trade – and then find themselves trapped there.
The insight is simple: “When each of us know the signs to watch for, we can all take steps to keep it from happening,” explains Janet Campbell, CEO and president of the Joy Smith Foundation.
“Education is our greatest weapon in prevention,” Campbell adds. “Predators shouldn’t be the only ones who recognize who is most vulnerable.”
The spot, which is airing online and on TV across the country, starts with upbeat music and romantic descriptions of a new person entering the lives of the youth featured, quickly takes a darker tone as the four youth detail the way their relationships changed, while the music grows more ominous. Each of the stories explains how the trafficker gradually took steps to take greater control over their victims – including getting them to wear specific clothing or buying them a second phone.
“The warning signs of sex trafficking are there in plain sight, if you know what to look for,” says Dave Stevenson, SVP and CD at Diamond. “This campaign is about making trafficking signs as obvious as traffic signs to give every Canadian the know-how to keep youth safe.”
The spot is supported by extensive paid and organic social, digital and OOH (including in schools). All assets drive to a microsite that contains additional information about sex trafficking.
Media for the campaign has been handled in-house, and PR is being handled by Glossy.
