#TheDress hype used for campaign against domestic violence

#TheDress

Few weeks ago, the world went crazy over a dress. The 'blue and black' vs 'white and gold' war erupted and everyone who cared, chose sides. #TheDress became one of the most successful examples of turning a random trend into a globally viral marketing campaign.

Now, the Salvation Army of South Africa has given the idea of the same marketing strategy more meaning and used it brilliantly to convey a powerful public awareness message against domestic violence.

The SA chapter of The Salvation Army tweeted this image along with the stat that “1 in 6 women are victims” and uses the hashtag #StopAbuseAgainstWomen in an attempt to transform an Internet fad into a symbol of awareness.

"Why is it so hard to see black and blue?" reads the tagline, with copy that states, "The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in 6 women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women."

"We know that one in four women are victims of domestic violence in the U.K.," a spokesperson said in a press release. "This innovative and powerful campaign by The Salvation Army in South Africa highlights that domestic violence is often overlooked by society. We hope this image helps people to see the true impact of this crime."



While the world argued about the insignificant issue of the difference of the color of a random dress in a random photograph, the Salvation Army brilliantly used the virality of the ad to grab the attention of all.

We see almost all brands capitalizing the virality of ongoing trends for their promotions all the time but it is refreshing to see the same trends being used for a good cause. The advertisement has received a great response around the world considering that #TheDress received undue attention while actual issues like violence and poverty are so easily disregarded.

The ad was reportedly produced by South African creative agency Ireland/Davenport.