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Wieden+Kennedy Gun Violence Technology

Portland creatives get together for action on US gun violence issues with #ThoughtsAndPrayers project

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By Doug Zanger | Americas Editor

June 21, 2016 | 2 min read

The film on gun control in the US is on its usual, continuous loop. A tragedy happens, there’s outrage, sadness, empty words from politicians and no progress. Though the US Senate gave it a go after the recent Orlando nightclub shooting with a filibuster designed to stop all other business until some meaningful action on gun control was discussed, once again, it fell short.

With Orlando as a backdrop, a group of Portland creatives at Wieden+Kennedy were fed up and decided to turn the empty words, the oft-used "thoughts and payers" said by those in US congress on social media, into a book, illustrating the hypocrisy — and designed to raise money for an important gun control cause.

#ThoughtsAndPrayers: Comforting Tweets from Powerful Hypocrites shines the “spotlight” on those in power who, during the most deadly shootings such as Orlando, Sandy Hook and Aurora, took to Twitter to express their “deepest sympathies.” The collection, filled with “sympathies” from the nation’s most powerful pro-gun lawmakers, is in stark contrast to the prevailing public attitude towards gun control and makes its point, directly busting out the hypocrites who could take real action.

By donating $25 or more on a dedicated Crowdrise page, people will receive a free copy of the book, with proceeds going directly to The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, supporting metrics-driven and effective campaigns that work to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous people. Since 1994, Brady background checks have blocked 2.6m gun sales to prohibited purchasers. As of posting time, over $4,500 has been raised for The Brady Center.

Though not an official Wieden+Kennedy project, the agency supported the individuals by fronting upfront costs and allowing each to use their time for the effort. It is part of the independent agency’s ethos of creating an environment where people can do the best work of their lives, personal projects like this included.

Wieden+Kennedy Gun Violence Technology

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