New York Times' Ad About Sexual Harassment to Air During the Golden Globes
In what’s sure to be a pivotal moment in the post-Weinstein, #MeToo era of Hollywood award shows, Sunday evening’s Golden Globes will include, among a number of other definitive proclamations of protest, a powerful new commercial from The New York Times.
The news outlet—which was the very first to break the story on the sexual harassment allegations against film industry titan Harvey Weinstein last October—has partnered with ad agency Droga5 to create a commanding—and chilling—promo spotlighting the issue of sexual assault.
Though a mere 30 seconds, the TV spot is incredibly affecting—due largely to its chilling austerity and deliberate word choice. It begins by repeating the phrase “He said. She said.” numerous times in a hugely symbolic representation of the countless women who have come forth over the last few months to bravely recount their experiences with sexual misconduct. The ad then powerfully concludes with: “The truth has power. The truth will not be threatened. The truth has a voice.”
In an interview with Ad Age, Julie Matheny, associate creative director of Droga5, explained the significance of the language used in this carefully-crafted ad: “We thought that using language that has been used to silence women in the past and turning it on its head was a simple way to show the clear distinction between the way the world was merely a year ago and the way it is now.”
According to a press release from the newspaper, released today, the promo is “the first in a series of new ads the Times is planning for this year that will focus on its unwavering commitment to original, independent journalism that holds power to account.”
Watch the ad, below:
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