Sandy Hook Promise: advert-body-2 by BBDO New York

Gun violence has been at the top of the news for weeks, in response to the murders of 17 high school students in Parkland, Florida. To try to peacefully combat gun violence Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is launching the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) into schools across the country, including accelerated rollout in four of the most at-risk states.

The campaign will be amplified by a national public service ad titled ‘The Other Side,’ produced by BBDO New York, that will also air on all major broadcast and cable networks and digital platforms today (March 22).

In the chilling spot, a teen boy is in his bedroom, talking about how people think a school shooting “can never happen here…but those same people are the ones who saw the signs and never said anything.” He talks about the telltale signs – being bullied, obsessed with guns and posting on social media about shooting up the school. As the camera pans back, we see the boy has an arsenal of weapons on his bed. He locks and loads a magazine into his assault rifle and states, “I’m sure tomorrow somebody will wish they had said something,” as he hoists his gun.

The video ends with a picture of the Say Something app on a mobile phone with the tag, “Learn the signs. Say something.”