Real Haunted House by Truth Collective

During October, Truth Collective, a Rochester, NY, creative company, along with its client of six years, Willow Domestic Violence Center, is calling domestic violence what it really is - criminal.

Truth Collective embarked on a fully integrated campaign to shift public perception and break stigmas associated with domestic violence by calling out the heinous crimes abusers commit daily. Throughout the month, the campaign ran on broadcast, social media, and out-of-home — all laddering up to a pop-up experience to give the public an up-close-and-personal look at what really goes on in a home where there is domestic violence. Using the topicality of the Halloween season, The Real Haunted House of Monroe County exposed the year-round realities of thousands of homes in our community and beyond.

Held in the most public of places — the Rochester Public Market — the Truth team took over an empty storefront, and, for one day, turned it into a seemingly picture-perfect home. On the inside, this immersive, self-guided experience exposed to the public the many forms of abuse and the unrelenting horrors that haunt survivors 365 days a year.

With a dozen organizations rising to the call, including the full endorsement of city hall, the campaign has made life-changing impact.

The pop-up experience resulted in: over 1m impressions; over 400 visitors to the experience; three survivors disclosing their personal situations of domestic violence to the Willow counseling staff — seeking support and guidance; and $0 budget.