In the last year, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, with abuse among teenagers in relationships reaching troubling levels. The UK government has recognised violence against women and girls (VAWG) as a national emergency.
In response, the Home Office has worked with FCB London and WPP Media’s Wavemaker team on a new phase of its Enough campaign, to drive recognition and challenge abusive behaviours that have become concerningly normalised.
The campaign is built around a snake that serves as a metaphor for the abusive behaviours, from monitoring a partner’s movements, isolating them from friends or sending unsolicited images. Its unsettling presence exposing the creeping and harmful nature of these behaviours, mirroring many women and girls’ experiences of abuse. The campaign films were directed by The Corner Shop director, Emma Branderhorst, using real snakes to heighten the authenticity of the metaphor. Still photography was shot by Sam Barker, whose work helped define the campaign’s visual tension and atmosphere.
Owen Lee, chief creative officer, FCB London, stated, “We were deeply concerned when we uncovered how many abusive behaviours had become ‘normal’ and every day for our audience. We needed a powerful visual device to enable young men to recognise these behaviours for what they are and challenge this normalisation. The metaphor of a snake has long been used as a symbol of a dark presence, from the Bible to Harry Potter. Here, rather than trigging defensiveness, it allows young men to see how their own actions could constitute abusive behaviour and understand the harm they cause.”
The full campaign covers display, video on demand (VOD), social, digital audio, TV, and OOH to engage 18–34-year-olds in real-world contexts where violence against women and girls is most visible, with media buying facilitated by Omnigov.
Minister for Violence Against Women and Girls and Safeguarding, Jess Phillips, commented, “Violence against women and girls is a national emergency and every year it ruins millions of lives. If we’re going to halve abuse in a decade, we must drive a generational shift in the societal attitudes and behaviours that underpin it. I wear a seat belt and don’t drink and drive because of the public health campaigns I saw growing up. The Enough campaign can have the same impact for violence against women and girls. It will help young men understand which behaviours are unacceptable and prompt the wider public recognition that is vital, and long overdue.”
Because these behaviours are so widespread and easy to overlook, the campaign calls on the wider public too, encouraging them to stop accepting excuses or euphemisms that downplay harm. It encourages people to name what they see and condemn these behaviours when they see them.
Credits:
Creative Agency: FCB London
Chief Creative Officer: Owen Lee
Art Director: Paul Hancock
Copywriter: Dave Newbold
Designers: Tessa Bridge & Maria Kay
Editor: Nick Parish
Head of Production: Nikki Chapman
Producer: Alex Nally
Managing Partner: Emily Whiteaway
Head of Planning: Laura Pirkis
Strategy Director: Lucie Newlan
Account Director: Emily Leefe
Account Manager: Charles Pendry
Design Agency: Curious
Account Director: Lee Sands
Artworker: Andy Gladden
Media: Wavemaker UK & WPP Media
Production Company: The Corner Shop
Director: Emma Branderhorst
Founder: Anna Hashmi
Executive Producer: Heather Link
Producer: Ben Link
Production Manager: Sorcha O’Sullivan
Casting: Emma Garrett
1st AD: Ed Bellamy
Director of Photography: Tom Townend
Coordinator: Mark Amey
Production Designer: Poppy Luard
Costume Designer: Natalie Wilkins
Stills Production: Dawn Productions
Executive Producer: Dawn Moretti
Producer: Jody Brown
Photographer: Sam Barker
Grade: Company 3 London
Colourist: Dominic Phipps
Post Production & VFX: Framestore
Producer: Polly Roberts
VFX Supervisor: Will Laban
2D Supervisor: Ben Gallagher
Animation Lead: William ‘Rocky’ Vanoost
Coordinator: Doug Russel-Fisher
Editing: Work UK
Editors: Bill Smedley & Rebecca Luff
Music & Sound: Runamok
Sound Designers: Jon Clark & Harry Butcher
