A surprisingly moving new campaign from the non-profit Ad Council group has been making some big waves this week. A film shot on Valentine's Day called “Diversity & Inclusion” made its online début on Tuesday and sent the internet into floods of tears. It shows a set of skeletons playing, hugging and kissing on a big screen mounted in the middle of an outdoor shopping centre in Santa Monica, California, and then the reactions of the assembled crowds when the 'skeletons' step out from behind the screen to reveal themselves. Many different pairings are highlighted and they are all genuinely affecting, and whilst the sappy soundtrack might be a little on-the-nose, the subtle way in which the film encourages the viewer to examine their own bias is effective without being exploitative. The message is genuinely beautiful too; that there is no gender, religion or bias to love, it's a force that has no prejudice. The point that love looks the same once we ignore these in-built prejudices is hardly a new one, of course, but it's rarely been made this smartly and eloquently.
The yearlong campaign was created pro bono by R/GA and the Ad Council
The public service announcement was created on behalf of a digital-first “Love Has No Labels” campaign that aims to promote universal understanding, regardless of sexual orientation, age, race, religion, ability and gender. It was launched back in February, and has already thrived through social media, with over 8 million people reached via Twitter so far. This is largely thanks to the help of campaign partners such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Unilever, Allstate and State Farm, with posts from these partners generating more than 15,000 likes and nearly 2,000 shares across Facebook. The yearlong campaign was created pro bono by R/GA and extends online with stories and a quiz about bias. It's designed to make people aware of their implicit biases; how we make snap judgments about others without even realising it.
Diversity & Inclusion – Love Has No Labels
The campaign is inspired by the Ad Council's mission to create positive social change. Indeed, the council even coined the phrase “Public Service Advertising” back in the 1940's. Part of this mission is to acknowledge and make efforts to change the occasionally negative impact that advertising can have when it portrays certain groups in a certain way or reinforces unhelpful stereotypes. The ad is the first “Love Has No Labels” spot produced since the campaign launched, but hopefully won't be the last. Do yourself a favour and take 3 and a half minutes out of your day to watch the clip above. If you don't shed at least a fraction of a tear then you're probably a little bit dead inside.
The campaign is inspired by the Ad Council's mission to create positive social change
A statement on the Love Has No Labels site says that “While the vast majority of Americans consider themselves unprejudiced, many of us unintentionally make snap judgments about people based on what we see. Subconscious prejudice, or “Implicit bias”, has profound implications for how we view and interact with others who are different from us. It can hinder a person’s ability to find a job, secure a loan, rent an apartment, or get a fair trial, perpetuating disparities in American society. The Love Has No Labels campaign challenges us to open our eyes to our bias and prejudice and work to stop it in ourselves, our friends, our families, and our colleagues.” Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the AdCouncil, adds that “No matter what our declared beliefs, bias can live in all of us, and recognising this type of fast thinking discrimination is the first step towards greater understanding and acceptance.” She is “Proud to have such provocative creative to help spread this crucial message.”
