America’s gun laws, or lack of gun laws if you will, are a problem that the country is not solving. Powerful Americans don’t want to solve it. But at least the US has Firearm Restraining Orders (FROs), also known as ‘extreme risk laws’ or ‘red flag laws,’. These allow family members, household members and law enforcement to work with courts to temporarily remove guns and prevent the purchase of new guns by individuals who pose a significant risk of harm to themselves or others. Just 21 US states and Washington, D.C., have an extreme risk law in effect. Illinois is one of them.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Brady: United Against Gun Violence and the Ad Council have launched a PSA to raise awareness about the lifesaving potential of these orders. A very clever creative idea, some wonderful directing decisions by directing duo, Si&Ad, cinematic use of sound design, editing, cinematography and special effects from The Mill, combine to make a powerful campaign film:
The film builds upon the first phase of the Pause to Heal campaign, that launched in April 2024 in Illinois across radio, digital, print, and outdoor, to prevent gun suicides and other shootings. The campaign is expected to extend to other US states.


Although extreme risk laws are effective when used, a study from the Ad Council Research Institute (ACRI) and the Joyce Foundation found that only 10% of people in Illinois are familiar with FROs and know how and when to use them. The study also highlighted that local and state-level government agencies are key trusted messengers and that government websites are respondents’ preferred sources for information.
All campaign elements drive audiences to the website, a new digital hub with local information and resources to educate Illinoisans about the state’s extreme risk law.
The Pause to Heal FRO campaign was spearheaded pro-bono by US advertising agency, McKinney, and production company, Caviar.
McKinney previously partnered with the Ad Council and Brady to launch the 2023 Prepare for Misuse campaign, that encouraged safe gun storage, a part of the End Family Fire campaign. McKinney has been working pro bono on Brady and Ad Council’s End Family Fire campaign since 2020, Brady and Ad Council since 2018.
The new PSA has launched at a time when the US gun suicide rate is at an all-time high and over 48,000 people die from gun violence annually, according to the CDC.
Credits:
Client: Ad Council
Campaign Managers: Michelle Hillman, Sammi Fischer & Makiyah Owens
Campaign Directors: Ro Patrick & Allie Baum
Strategist: Regan Hill
Client: Brady
President: Kris Brow
Chief Operating Officer: Susan Lavington
Program Manager: Christian Heyne
Communications Manager: Renee Davidson
Brand Director: Colleen Creighton
Communications Director: Jaime Bellemare
Manager: Kelitah Armstrong
Consultant: Priscilla Natkins
Client: Illinois Department of Public Health


Creative Agency: McKinney
Chief Creative Officers: Lyle Yetman & Omid Amidi
Executive Creative Directors: Alex Shulhafer & Piper Hickman
Group Creative Director: Will Chambliss
Creative Director: Jennifer Macfarlane
Chief Strategy Officer: Jasmine Dadlani
Strategy Director: Jordan Festa
Managing Director: Walt Barron
Account Directors: Melanie Wallace & Brian Racis
Account Manager: Karah Smith
Project Manager: Cheryl Rucker
Production: Cylndr
Executive Director: Kara O’Halloran
Producer: Bill Abbotts
Business Affairs Manager: Kelly Beatty
Production: Caviar
Director: Si & Ad
Managing Director: Michael Sagol
Executive Producer: Casey Wooden
Producer: Donna Waxstein
Post Production & VFX: The Mill New York
Executive Producer: Matthew Loranger
Producer: Lauren Yianilos
VFX Supervisor: Steven Eisenmann
Colourist: Philip Hambi
Editing: The Assembly Rooms
Editor: Sam Rice-Edwards
Head Of Production: Daniel Breheny
Music & Sound: Heard City
Managing Partner: Gloria Pitagorsky
Producer: Nick Duvarney
Sound Designer: Eric Warzecha