Soweto Derby and Grey's Anatomy fight to end women abuse

Images from the #NoExcuse campaign.

Images from the #NoExcuse campaign.

Images from the #NoExcuse campaign.

Most of us watch TV as a way to unwind – to switch off from real-world problems and lose yourself in sport or drama that’s different to what you face in your everyday life.

But the Carling Black Label Premier Soccer League #NoExcuse and 1st For Women Grey’s Anatomy ticker-tape takeover campaigns that took place before International Women’s Day, now celebrated on 8 March 2018, took a different take. One was targeted at males, the other at females – both with high visibility and impact.

Fairness First

#FairnessFirst: Why social media went purple for International #WomensDay

Leigh Andrews  8 Mar 2018

#NoExcuse with Carling Black Label at the Soweto Derby

Over 85,000 people – mainly men – were watching the Soweto Derby biggie between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates on the first Saturday of March when a single female stood up and was joined by the #NoExcuse female choir, singing the well-known Asambe Nono.

The tune may be familiar, but the words certainly weren’t, having been changed to reflect the tale of a South African woman being abused by her partner who comes home intoxicated after his team loses a soccer match.

This was then broadcast live on both the FNB Stadium big screen and televised for home viewers at both ends of the spectrum, on SABC and SuperSport alike, with commentators ready to roll and explain this latest element of the campaign.

Hard-hitting and well-executed by lead agency Ogilvy, comments on social media have been overwhelmingly positive, with many appreciating the fact that many cases of femicide are the result of ‘reckless drinking’, so props to Carling Black Label for being brave and bringing this to the forefront in such a public way.

Health & Welfare

#NoExcuse: New movement to get Champion Men involved in tackling gender-based violence

30 Nov 2017

We’re looking forward to seeing what’s next from the #NoExcuse campaign.

1st For Women fights women abuse on female favourite Grey’s Anatomy

It doesn’t get more mainstream than the Monday evening ideal for most women: loving nothing better than kicking up their feet with a glass of their favourite drink and losing themselves in the fictionalised scenes of Grey’s Anatomy. Unfortunately, while we don’t all have a McDreamy love-interest or honest-to-a-fault Christina BFF, most women do face untold horrors in our daily lives that they tend to keep under wraps, as they simply don’t know where to turn for help.

Episode 9 of Grey’s Anatomy (Four Seasons in One Day) tackles domestic violence. In the US, it was named after the National Domestic Violence Hotline - 18007997233. In SA, you can unite against abuse by visiting https://t.co/TbbrDScFIV, brought to you by 1st for Women. #ForWomen pic.twitter.com/0Gt35mYtnp

— 1st for Women (@firstforwomen) March 5, 2018

Even better? Originally titled ‘Four Seasons in One Day’, as is their sing-inspired tradition, producers of the show also took a turn for the new by changing the title of episode 9 of season 14 in the US to the number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline in America. That’s true determination to raise awareness, as the show title pops up in that PVR or download list, so further amplifies the message that help is just a phone call away.

Each episode is viewed by millions, and this is most definitely a global issue, so well done to 1st for Women for finding a way to localise the issue.

That’s one way to get a message to sink in…