The Most Creative Advertising PSA Campaign

This year we started learning about public service announcements in my copy and layout class. While researching some of the best public service advertisements ever created, I came across an incredibly creative campaign that I cannot wait to share with you this week.

The public service announcement campaign entitled “Choose One” was created for the organization Moms Demand Action by the advertising agency Grey located in Toronto and was launched in 2013 (PR Newswire, 2013, para. 5). Each of the print advertisements in the campaign contains powerful strong imagery and direct informative body copy, which is so frank it almost seems comical.

Check out the below six print advertisements from the Moms Demand Action “Choose One” public service announcement campaign.



(Mediabistro Inc., 2015d)

 

(Mediabistro Inc., 2015c)

 

(Mediabistro Inc., 2015a)



(Mediabistro Inc., 2015b)

(Mediabistro Inc., 2015e)

(Mediabistro Inc., 2015f)

 

The advertising message in each print advertisement is clear and to the point. Each advertisement appears to be mildly comical by the frank way they chose to point out how lax some laws are regarding assult weapons in the United States of America. Every advertisement points out a law where a loaded gun is allowed to be present in an environment and an item of far lesser significance is not. It points out how ridiculous the idea is that a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg and a book about Red Riding Hood can be banned from an elementary school classroom, but a loaded firearm is allowed. I think the scenarios they chose to showcase in this campaign are quite shocking and stand out because they are everyday environments where children are present. They have added an element of fear to an elementary school classroom and grocery store aisle, simply by showing an assault weapon.

The imagery is both strong and memorable. The first advertisement I came across really grabbed my attention with its headline. It was interesting and motivated me to read on further to the smaller body copy. I would have to say this campaign opened my eyes to their cause and I took away the main advertising message easily. The layout of these images appears simple, but the background details seem really well thought out.

I find the first advertisement with the two girls sitting on the floor of an elementary classroom to be the most impactful for me. I cannot decide if it’s their emotionless facial expressions or the image of the young girl holding a huge black metal gun that stands out for me the most. I don’t think I will ever forget viewing it.

Do you find these public service announcement advertisements to be creative? Which one of the print advertisements for Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense is your favourite?

 

 

 

References:

Mediabistro Inc. (2015a). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Dodgeball [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_for_gun_sense_in_america_dodgeball

Mediabistro Inc. (2015b). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Ice Cream [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_ice_cream

Mediabistro Inc. (2015c). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Kinder Egg [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_for_gun_sense_in_america_kinder_egg

Mediabistro Inc. (2015d). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Red Riding Hood [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_for_gun_sense_in_america_red_riding_hood

Mediabistro Inc. (2015e). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Shirtless [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_shirtless

Mediabistro Inc. (2015f). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America: Skateboard [Image]. Retrieved from http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/moms_demand_action_skateboard
 
PR Newswire. (2013, April 15). Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America Ramps Up Efforts In Advance Of Senate Vote On Gun Legislation. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/moms-demand-action-for-gun-sense-in-america-ramps-up-efforts-in-advance-of-senate-vote-on-gun-legislation-202988661.html