Innova DDB Ghana
Innova DDB Ghana is an award-winning creative advertising agency located in the capital of Ghana, Accra, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. The agency focuses on Brand & Marketing Consulting, Strategic Planning, PR Services, and Market Research. Working with Innova DDB Ghana presented opportunities to learn more about localized communications, cultural awareness, and strategy, as well as critical insights to West African marketing practices and trends.
Campaign: Bad Uncles
Key Visual 1: Taking empowerment and inspiration from lionesses, parents are encouraged to roar and speak up to defend their young.
Problem: In many countries, referring to someone as “uncle” means more than someone of blood relations. Someone who is deemed an uncle could mean anything from an actual relative or a close family friend. Consequently, there have been countless accounts of child sexual abuse enacted by an “uncle” in these countries. Many children do not disclose their experiences of sexual abuse due to socio-cultural factors such as the taboo of disrespecting an adult and fear of disbelief. As a result, most end up waiting until they are adults to report their lifelong trauma – internalizing their trauma for many years. There is a strong need to create an environment that prevents the activities of bad uncles, and a safe space for victims of sexual abuse (coercion, violence, assault) to come forth and share their experiences – without fear or stigma of shame.
Insight: In Ghana, a child expressing their opinions by speaking up can be labeled as being culturally inappropriate and disrespectful. Even at times, a child does not have the right to ask an adult a question but is required to answer when addressed. Many children fear being seen as outspoken, disruptive, and a “bad seed” – for fear of societal judgment and labels. This results in many acting timid, complacent, and tolerant when sexual assault occurs. Sexual assault victims need to understand that being outspoken about their livelihoods and situations with “bad uncles” is not a cultural sin or a sign of disrespect but the first step in justice.
Task: To develop a powerful and impactful social responsibility campaign to disrupt cultural norms about familial sexual assault issues.
Results:
Key Visuals (2x)
Radio (2x)
Jingle
Educational Toolkits - Online ebook storybook
Shorts/Reels: series about respect and breaking the barriers
Interactive Q&A Sessions with experts
Audio series or podcast featuring interviews with survivors, psychologists, and activists
#BreakTheSilence Day
Dedicated day where social media feeds are flooded with awareness messages, stories, and statistics about child sexual abuse in Ghana.
Role: Strategist, Copywriter, Researcher
Key Visual 2: Parents are just as guilty as the sexual offender if they do not speak up and protect their young.
Before the ideation process, it was crucial to conduct research and survey of the local territory.
The Big Idea provided the key message that the creatives would use to create the results. While the Strategic Direction addressed the mission of the campaign.
Drawing inspiration from American jingles about rape prevention, a Ghanaian-focused jingle was written and localized with language that would be culturally recognized.
The radio pieces are an extension of the key visuals and paint the severity of child sexual abuse crimes in Ghana.