SANDY HOOK PROMISE | Back to School Essentials | 2020
In a country where "back to school supplies" become tools for survival / Sandy Hook Promise "Back to School Essentials"
A cheerful back-to-school shopping scene slowly turns into a nightmare over 66 seconds. Binders and shoes are, for American kids, just tools to survive school — and this ad hits you with that reality when you least expect it.
The problem
60% of American teens worry about a school shooting, and 96% of public schools run active shooter drills. But only 44% of adults think this is a major problem. Sandy Hook Promise wanted to shake up that gap in perception.
The insight
The target was the "back to school sale ad" format itself. They mimicked the cheerful commercials we see every year — then betrayed that format partway through. It wasn't meant to scare people, but to force adults to look at reality.
The idea
To upbeat music, kids happily show off their new school supplies. Then their expressions suddenly twist. A skateboard shatters a window, a sock becomes a tourniquet wrapped around a friend's leg, scissors and colored pencils turn into weapons. At the end, a girl types "I love you" to her mother while crying. Text appears on screen: "The only back to school essential is knowing the signs." By betraying the ad's own format, the structure drives reality home.
What happened
It was viewed 26 million times in 24 hours and brought in $100,000 in donations. The budget was only $37,000. It also won in the storytelling category at the Emmy Awards and the Clio Awards.
Afterthought
At first I wanted to look away. But American kids face this every day. A country where "new shoes" become shoes for running away shouldn't exist. I don't know if an ad can move politics. But it can move someone's heart. I want to believe that.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2020
