'The Truth' takes aim at ISIS with Global Influence campaign
ISIS (Daesh, ISIL) is slowly being driven from Mosul, Iraq, but the war against radical terrorism is far from over. To help combat the influence of hate, London-based strategic communications firm Global Influence has come up with a campaign aimed at helping those vulnerable to ISIS’s influence and encouraging them to come together to stand up to terror.
The campaign for Families Against Terrorism and Extremism (FATE) targets would-be terrorists with videos and images showing how easily vulnerable people can be lured by hate and terror.
The first video, “The Truth,” begins with a man dressed as a jihadist speaking directly to the camera with the ISIS flag behind him – a frightening image to most. It appears to be a propaganda film, but as the man speaks in Arabic, the true intent of the film becomes apparent. The man reveals his true motivations as he speaks, which come up as subtitles, solidifying the selfishness of these individuals as it forces them to recognize their personal responsibility.
The subtitles reveal harsh words, including: “The give my life meaning I will destroy other people’s futures, because I do not have one myself,” “I raped because I was never successful with women,” and “I hurt your friends because I never had my own.” The intent of the campaign is to thwart those who may become radicalized before they venture to the dark side. The phrases are meant to spark self-reflection in those who are vulnerable.
FATE, the largest grassroots anti-violent extremism network, is mobilizing communities to speak out against ISIS and protect families. The network brings together over 43 charities from eight countries across Europe and North Africa.
“This isn’t easy work to do but we must all take a stand to communicate with those most vulnerable to terrorist ideologies. This film will hopefully challenge DAESH’s creation of fear, uncertainty, and a divided society. We must come together and take a stand,” said Sven Hughes, CEO, Global Influence.
The campaign is the culmination of a six-week Target Audience Analysis using RAID (Rapid Audience Insights Diagnostics), Global Influence’s audience profiling tool, which takes the methodology used in marketing, military, conflict and political contexts, and applies it to social change campaigns. The video can be seen on FATE’s online and social media channels.