Ad agencies refuse to promote plebiscite “no” campaign
Image: Image: Ann-Marie Calilhanna.
ADVERTISING agencies are joining a new campaign pledging not to accept work promoting the ‘no’ campaign for marriage equality.
Some of Australia’s biggest advertisers are involved in the Say No to No campaign, as well as smaller agencies and freelancers, Huffington Post has reported.
Many LGBTI advocates and mental health experts have said a plebiscite and public debate will be harmful to the LGBTI community.
“A plebiscite would give anti-gay campaigners the biggest stage they have ever had,” said Australian Marriage Equality.
“I’ve been in ads for over 30 years and it’s a great community,” said Nick Cummins, creative partner at The Royals agency and one of the campaign’s organisers.
“Sometimes we have to make messages or ads for things we don’t necessarily believe in 100 percent, but when it comes to these sorts of issues, it’s an opportunity for us to have an impact. This is something we can make a difference.
“We know there are going to be those hurtful and harmful messages which will hurt a lot of Australians, so this is us having the ability to say ‘not on our watch’. It’s like refusing to work on tobacco advertising, I see it as similar.
“This is not about stopping people voting no, it’s just us saying we won’t create hurtful messages.”
Say No to No has already been joined by hundreds of advertisers who refuse to promote the anti–marriage equality message, despite the millions of dollars in potential revenue.
“Imagine if every agency, production company, sound designer or illustrator said no to working on these harmful ads,” said the campaigners in a statement.
“Imagine then our friends in media also standing up and saying no to the no campaign. And brands also joining in to pledge that no harmful ads will appear on their sites or channels.
“Yes, the no campaigners will find a way to make their hurtful divisive messages. But we can make it difficult for them.
“And more importantly, we as an industry can show our friends in the non-heterosexual community that we still believe in them and in fairness.”
