Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign

The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) has launched an interactive billboard campaign at Euston Station to raise awareness about how people can intervene to help put a stop to domestic violence. The campaign, which launched 30 April 2012, runs on JCDecaux’s large format e-motion screens and encourages passers by to get involved in the advert by controlling the scene using their mobile phone.

Created by JWT London and produced by Grand Visual, “Drag Him Away” features an abusive domestic situation between a man and a woman with the call to action “USE YOUR PHONE TO STOP THIS NOW GO TO ncdv.org.uk/stop AND DRAG HIM AWAY.” Users can either enter the web address or scan on the featured QR code to start interacting immediately. The participant is able to control the characters by dragging the man away from the woman and onto on that adjacent billboards. The screens then synchronise to urge people to report any domestic violence situations to the NCDV so that they can intervene on the victim’s behalf.

This is the first time that e-motion screens have run user controlled content. It is also the launch campaign for Grand Visual’s Agent platform which enables mobile and digital out of home interaction. The 5-screen execution is supported by 4 additional e-motion screens plus D6 formats featuring QR codes that take the user to the website to activate their phone as the remote control.

Steve Connor, CEO of NCDV, said: “This engaging advert perfectly demonstrates the way in which NCDV helps victims of domestic violence, namely, we can put distance between them and their abuser. It encourages people to call the NCDV and start the process of securing an injunction against the abuser”

Hugh Todd, Creative Director at JWT London, commented: “An injunction is the quickest way to put a stop to domestic abuse as it puts distance between people in an abusive relationship. We wanted to highlight this fact by using the most modern channels possible. Working with mobile interactive touch screen technology, we were able to encourage members of the public to actually intervene themselves. In the future we hope people will use their phone again to separate victim and abuser, by ringing NCDV directly.”

Neil Morris, Founder and MD of Grand Visual, commented: “Agent offers consumers control over content as never before seen on DOOH. Handing the public control of on-screen content is a powerful call to action which fosters a deeper level of engagement amongst outdoor audiences. This campaign really drives home NCDV’s message to take action and stop domestic violence now.”

Spencer Berwin, Managing Director – Sales at JCDecaux, said: “This is the first consumer-controlled campaign to run on our Euston e-motion screens, providing a new way for brands to communicate with the growing rail audience. Rail commuters are highly-connected – 68% have a Smartphone and they are twice as likely to own an iPad as the average adult. Giving commuters the opportunity to control the content on digital screens through their mobiles is an exciting development in Out-of-Home, delivering the NCDV message in a powerful and relevant way.”