Women and girls forced into sex trafficking tend to be unable or unwilling to talk about it. DDB Canada and Tribal Worldwide gave each a donor voice.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation faced a difficult problem. It had been examining sex traffic in canada and after an 18 month period of consultations found that Canadian women were being trafficked more often that foreign-born women and most had been forced into sex work at the age of 13 or younger.

It wanted to tell these women’s stories but, “many girls who have been sex trafficked are unable to share their own story because of fear for their safety or fear for the safety of their family and friends, or because of trauma or stigma,” said Mary Mowbray, chair of the national marketing committee at the Canadian Women’s Foundation.
DDB found a solution.

Part of that was to offer the services of DDB Canada and Tribal Worldwide pro bono, investing more than $500,000 in the work. The other part was to ask everyday Canadians to donate their voices. The TV part of the campaign involves ordinary Canadians reading the stories the sex workers have told. A bonus is that rather than the foundation being seen to speak for the women, “’Donate your voice’ feels more like standing in solidarity with them,” said Sarah Ruddle, director of marketing and communications for the foundation.

There is also a website where visitors can record themselves reading one of these stories and post it to social media sites. The stories used in the campaign are composites based on real experiences, and the images used in the creative are of actors.

DDB did its first work for the foundation in 2012, creating its national brand campaign. This is the second time that the two have worked together. DDB brought in production partners, Alter Ego, Kith and Kin, Grayson Matthews and Saints Editorial.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation’s national media partner, Rogers Media,  donated significant space across their TV, radio, print and online properties.

The ads will also run in out-of-home media in major markets thanks to discounted or donated media from Adapt Media, NewAd, Pattison Outdoor, Pattison Onestop, Lamar Advertising Company and Streetseen Media. They will run on TV via Shaw Media, Cineplex, Corus Entertainment and CBC, and online media through a buy from Aber Group.

Creative credits:
Agency: DDB Canada and Tribal Worldwide
Executive creative director; Paul Wallace
Copywriter: Domenique Raso
Art director: Rebecca May