While love may be in the air today for St Valentine’s Day, Allianz and Women’s Aid have asked Irish men to spare a thought for the 274 women killed in violent circumstances in Ireland since 1996 as part of a wider campaign that aims to engage men in the fight against gender-based violence.
As part of the campaign, Allianz and Women’s Aid worked with Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin and Starcom to create a one-day pop-up shot on Dublin’s Grafton Street called The Dead Flower Shop.
Although the activation is designed to look like an ordinary flower shop from the outside, upon entering, visitors will see that all the flowers inside are dead, serving as a stark and thought provoking reminder of the women who have died in violent circumstances.
Beyond raising awareness, Women’s Aid says that the campaign will also provide men with a tangible next step and it has created the Ally Action List-a set of practical steps men can take to combat gender inequality and gender-based violence.
Beyond raising awareness, the campaign will provide men with a tangible next step: The Ally Action List-a set of practical steps men can take to combat gender inequality and gender-based violence, available at http://www.womensaid.ie/men
“Year on year, we continue to see the number of women being killed in violent circumstances and cases of domestic and sexual violence against women rise,” says Mark Brennan, head of marketing, Allianz.
“With men making up just under half the Irish population, put simply, this is a societal issue that cannot end without men’s help. With over three years of partnership with Women’s Aid, we feel there’s an urgent need to invite men to get involved to bring about the change needed. To shine a light on this need for change, Allianz and Women’s Aid have developed the Ally Action List: a practical guide to help men take action against gender inequality and gender-based violence. The campaign will launch on Valentine’s Day with The Dead Flower Shop, a one-day exhibition remembering each of the 274 women killed in violent circumstances in Ireland since 1996. Through it, our shared goal is to show the public the urgency surrounding the issue of gender-based violence and how important it is for men to play a part in moving us closer to a zero-tolerance society.
“We would like to extend our thanks to our agency partners, Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin and Starcom, for their incredible work in developing this campaign,” he adds.
“As a creative agency, we believe in the power of ideas to drive real change.” says Damian Hanley, executive creative director, Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin.
“The Dead Flower Shop is designed to break through apathy and create a moment of reckoning, one that makes men stop, think, and, most importantly, act,” he adds.
“Our goal is not just to highlight the statistics but to humanize the issue and make it impossible to ignore. Through this work with Allianz and Women’s Aid, we hope to shift perspectives and encourage men to be part of the solution.”
According to Anna Doyle, board director, Starcom, part of Core: “Since we started working with Allianz, we have been discussing the role men can make in their impactful partnership with Women’s Aid. Last November, Core Research published the Women’s Aid ‘Evolving Manhood’ research which highlighted the opportunities to develop a strategic campaign focused on allyship.
“Allianz’s previous work with Jordan Conroy highlighted how men can and should speak about violence against women. We are grateful to be collaborating on this next stage, focusing on the actions men can take, and the societal impact this campaign can make,” she says.
Credits:
Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors Dublun
Executive Creative Director: Damian Hanley
Senior Art Director:Laura Rice
Senior Copywriter: Aoife McCleary & Robert McBride
Senior Designers: Mark Corry & Nicole McMahon
Head of Planning: Behavioural Science – Niamh Murphy
Senior Producer: Ciaran Walsh
Client Director: Sarah Deeny & Pia Schuster
Senior Client Manager: Anna Hickey
Media: Starcom, part of Core
Client: Allianz
Head of Marketing: Mark Brennan
Marketing Communication Manager: Valerie Hedin
Partnerships Lead: Anna McCarthy
Women’s Aid CEO: Sarah Benson
Head of Strategic Communications and Fundraising: Christina Sherlock
