Mobilising Society to End Violence
A global approach to promoting positive values to tackle violence and other antisocial behaviour.
→ We don't have to agree on everything to agree on this. Let's end the violence and the abuse. For a kinder world.
A proposed global campaign to mobilise society around a simple, visible
commitment to respectful behaviour.
THE PROBLEM
Domestic and sexual violence continues despite substantial government investment in laws, policing, frontline services, education and prevention.
These measures are essential, but governments cannot change social attitudes and behaviour on their own. That requires the participation of society itself.
And few industries understand how to influence attitudes and establish new social norms better than advertising.
We have mobilised government. Now we need to mobilise society.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Yes, We Signed! is a proposed major national advertising campaign encouraging Australians to sign the Freedom Declaration for Peace as a simple personal commitment to building a less violent, less abusive and more respectful society.
The campaign will bring together some of Australia's most recognisable leaders and organisations — from politics, business, sport, faith and media — not simply as sponsors, but as visible participants.
This creates a powerful proposition for everyone involved:
Help tackle a major social problem — and be seen as part of the solution.
The ambition is to turn signing from an individual action into a visible social norm, ultimately supported by millions of Australians.
The action is deliberately simple:
Read it. Sign it. Live it.
THE HUMAN INSIGHT
Australians disagree about almost everything — politics, religion, football, business, media, food and how the country should be run.
That's part of a diverse and democratic society.
A peaceful society doesn't require us to agree on everything.
It requires us to agree on enough things to live together.
That gives us the central proposition:
We don't have to agree on everything to agree on this.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
THE CREATIVE IDEA
The initial concept is a series of 30-second advertisements featuring real people — political leaders, CEOs, business leaders, sporting identities, faith leaders, media personalities, employees and other recognisable participants.
Each advertisement brings together people or organisations that normally compete, disagree or see the world differently.
The first lines celebrate those differences. The third introduces a light touch of humour.
Then comes the pivot:
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
In the final scene, the participants come together, face the camera and make the commitment themselves:
YES, WE SIGNED!
For a kinder world.
The audience isn't simply being told that different parts of society should work together.
They can see it happening.
The following executions are indicative starting points rather than prescribed advertisements. They demonstrate the creative idea and tone while leaving participating agencies scope to develop and improve the campaign.
Featuring political leaders and representatives from across the parties and independents.
In politics...
We may disagree on the solutions.
We may question the rules.
We may differ on... well, just about everything.
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.
Beginning with major supermarkets, featuring CEOs and selected employees, and extending across Australian business.
In business...
We may differ on price.
We may disagree on value.
We may differ on how loudly we sell.
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.
Featuring leading players, coaches and administrators across Australia's major sporting codes.
In sport...
We may differ on tactics.
We may disagree with the ump.
We may even differ in the fashion stakes.
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.
Featuring recognised representatives from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other faith communities.
In our faith...
We may differ in our beliefs.
We may differ in how we worship.
We may even differ on the most appropriate headwear.
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.
Featuring recognisable representatives from competing media organisations and editorial perspectives.
In the media...
We may disagree on what's important.
We may differ on the emphasis.
We may clash over who's right... or left.
But one thing we all agree on.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.
Yes, We Signed! gives leaders and organisations an opportunity to do more than endorse another awareness campaign.
They become part of the campaign itself.
Political opponents can demonstrate that some issues transcend party politics.
Businesses can demonstrate social leadership while standing alongside their competitors.
Sporting organisations can use their extraordinary cultural reach to influence behaviour beyond the playing field.
Faith communities can demonstrate common human values across different beliefs.
Media organisations can show that different editorial perspectives need not prevent common purpose.
And employees, players, community representatives and ordinary Australians can participate alongside their leaders.
No participant is being asked to surrender their identity, beliefs, policies or competitive position.
Quite the opposite.
Our differences are what make the campaign work.
The greater the contrast between the participants, the more powerful the final moment of agreement becomes.
TONE & VISUAL APPROACH
The campaign should be warm, optimistic, inclusive and lightly irreverent.
It should not feel like another government public-service announcement. It should not lecture, shame or frighten people.
The humour comes from our differences — never from violence, abuse or those affected by them.
The emotional rhythm is:
Difference → humour → common ground → hope → action.
One possible visual treatment is to show participants separately in their normal environments before bringing them together in the final scene.
A simple wave to camera could become a recognisable Yes, We Signed! gesture that organisations, workplaces, schools, sporting clubs, families and communities can reproduce.
The treatment and sample scripts are indicative rather than binding.
THE NATIONAL AMBITION
The advertising is intended to be the catalyst for something much larger.
As participation grows, the Yes, We Signed! mark can appear across businesses, workplaces, sporting venues, schools, websites and community organisations.
The campaign can generate its own media through the participating organisations, earned coverage and public participation.
The eventual ambition is a $20–50 million national campaign, supported by participating governments, businesses and organisations together with contributed media and other support.
The opportunity is to create more than a series of advertisements.
It is to create a social idea that Australia can own.
The creative challenge is equally simple:
How do we turn one small act — signing a declaration — into something millions of Australians want to join?
The starting point:
We don't have to agree on everything to agree on this.
Let's end the violence and the abuse.
YES, WE SIGNED!
For a kinder world.
MORE INFORMATION
For the thinking behind the campaign, the Freedom Declaration for Peace and the broader strategy for mobilising society: Mobilizing Society Against Violence