#NOTAFAN

Every October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month floods timelines and platforms with well-meaning messages — but few of them cut through the noise or spark real change. NCADV needed a campaign that wouldn’t just raise awareness, but provoke introspection and action. The challenge was to shift public perception around complicity — to highlight that domestic violence isn’t just a private issue, it’s a collective one, and silence equals endorsement.

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We also had to navigate the complexity of tone: how do you create a campaign that feels cinematic and culturally fluent while dealing with trauma responsibly? The campaign needed to resonate with survivors, advocates, and the general public — all without veering into cliché or sensationalism.

Reframe the role of the bystander. The strategic goal was to draw a hard line between fandom and accountability — specifically in the context of celebrity, sports, and public figures with known histories of abuse. The idea was simple and arresting: “If you’re not a fan of domestic violence, don’t be a fan of domestic abusers.”

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Our creative approach focused on contrast: everyday images of fans (cheering, reposting, idolizing) set against the stark reality of what those actions can implicitly condone. The visual and editorial tone needed to be minimal, powerful, and widely adaptable for social, broadcast, and earned media pickup.

We created a cinematic :30 hero spot that juxtaposed sports fandom with emotional indifference. Slow-motion visuals, stark lighting, and tightly composed frames built a sense of unease, culminating in bold, direct typography delivering the core message.

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Working with Blonde + Co and NCADV to ensure the message was survivor-informed and strategically sound, while pushing the creative envelope. The campaign was released across broadcast, digital, and social, generating widespread coverage and shares — not just from individuals, but from advocacy organizations, journalists, and public figures.

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The #NotAFan campaign helped reposition NCADV not just as a support organization, but as a bold cultural voice in the conversation around domestic violence. The work became a template for advocacy messaging that refuses to play it safe.

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