Verbal abuse is underreported and often dismissed as less harmful than physical abuse. However, a Harvard study showed that the impact on human psychology is the same between continuous, severe verbal abuse and physical or sexual abuse. 

Our Filipino creative team led by Jaoquim, proactively came up with a radio ad to highlight the fact that verbal abuse is valid and should be taken seriously. The ad used bad language censorship beeps to build up to Morse code SOS signals. Radio is the channel that the largest number of people in the Philippines have access to. 

Through a Human Rights lawyer friend of mine in Manila we were able to pitch our work to local NGO, SPARK! They accepted the proposal and incorporated our work into their annual Respeto Naman campaign.

The entire project was pulled off almost completely pro bono with VOs being done inhouse and our WPP partner agencies helping us out with production, as well as access to free radio spots across 27 national and regional stations in the Philippines.

The campaign launched at the International Women's Summit in Manila in March 2019 and ran across radio stations for a full month. The summit was hosted by Vice President Leni Robredo and attended by key senators such as Rita Hontiveros. 

The ads sought to raise awareness and provide validation for the many people in under acknowledged yet abusive situations. The purpose was also to practically link victims to multiple support structures listed on a moderated Facebook page.

We received many Facebook messages from people in abusive relationships who had heard the ad on the radio and been inspired to take legal action or to simply leave their abusive situations. 

English and Tagalog versions of the ads are below.