FATE "We are tomorrow" (2016) :53 (UK)

"We are among you. In your homes. On every street corner. Our voices will be heard. My brothers, my sisters, my family. Stand together positive and united. We are hope, and we are action against division against violence." This campaign is a rug pull, making you first think you're looking at a gang on the prowl but ultimately depicts these Muslim youth as rejecting DAESH’s divisive ideology and doing something positive instead. Like dancing. And graffiti. And drumming. Who knows, maybe the girl's into slam poetry, too.

Interestingly, Global Influence created this ad using RAID® (Rapid Audience Insights Diagnostics), which is their audience profiling tool. After ten years of development, RAID® "takes the methodology used in marketing, military, conflict and political contexts, and applies it to social-change campaigns." Their aim is to take the guesswork out of the process and use all of their data against 24 peer-reviewed scientific parameters to really understand the psychology of a target audience, and use said research data and science to change behavior. To turn "we think," into "we know."

If this ad is a result of that data, it is both innocuous, expected and out of touch, like the worst kind of AdCouncil spots here in the states that feature an edgy voice over featuring hard-edged looking kids who turn out to be great kids after all. Moreover, this spot doesn't tell me anything about what FATE aims to do, which is a shame. FATE (Families Against Terrorism and Extremism) is a network of organizations working with communities across Europe and North Africa to prevent radicalization, counter violent extremism and fight back against terrorism. It would have been a far more interesting ad to explain how they do this instead of showing me kids going to a drum circle meet up. While I'm sure their research is valid, I am having a hard time believing this execution is going to resonate with a potential young jihadi for reasons that should be obvious.

Agency Global Influence
Agency contact Alicia Kearns
Agency contact job title Client Services Director