White Ribbon hits the festival circuit

It's a horrible but sadly all-too-common statistic that two-in-five women have experienced sexual harassment at gigs and festivals, and something that White Ribbon UK, the leading charity working to end male violence against women, is looking to put a stop to with its latest campaign.

Created pro bono by Wunderman Thompson, under Creative Director Jo Wallace, the new DOOH work takes the recognisable imagery of gig posters and transforms them into powerful messages of awareness.

Clever festival names or gig titles have been created to capture attention and flag the issues such as, Assault on the Dancefloor, Blind Eye Weekender, and Summertime Silence, whilst familiar ‘headline acts’ have been replaced with copy that reflects unacceptable behaviour such as groping, harassment and cat calling. 

Vital to the campaign's importance is its audience; rather than warning women of dangers, the campaign rightly calls directly to men, encouraging them to individually and collectively take responsibility to end male violence toward women and make festivals, and society as a whole, a safer place.

To spread the message Wunderman Thompson and White Ribbon UK have partnered with The O2, as the world’s most popular music, entertainment and leisure venue, to run the campaign through digital OOH, The O2’s social channels and CRM database. The renowned nightclub, Fabric will also be carrying the campaign message within their club, their social channels and promotional materials. The campaign will also appear in a nationwide DOOH campaign running across JCDecaux sites.

White Ribbon UK have also introduced The O2 and Fabric to Good Night Out who are working closely with them to ensure all staff are fully trained and safety protocols are in place, such as having a safe space for women should they need it. 

“With restrictions lifted, we should all be looking forward to going out and having fun," comments Jo Wallace, Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson, "but the fact of the matter is that women and girls can be targets and attend events knowing that there is a very real possibility they will experience sexual harassment. With this campaign we aim to clarify that the responsibility to change this situation and behaviour sits with men."

“Ultimately violence against women will only end if men take responsibility for their own behaviour and are also prepared to call out harassing and abusive behaviour when they see it," adds Anthea Sully, Chief Executive, White Ribbon. "Venues and festivals being absolutely clear about the culture they want to see can make a significant difference. That is why we are pleased that the O2 Arena and Fabric are supporting us to get the message across. Women must be able to have a great time when they go to clubs, venues and festivals without fear of harassment or violence. 

"We expect all men to make the White Ribbon Promise to never use, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women.”