For this year’s Super Bowl, viewers were shocked to see an unfamiliar commercial claiming a spot amongst numerous beer and Doritos commercials. During the first quarter, the NFL aired its first PSA ever that addressed domestic violence. Created in conjunction with the No More campaign, this PSA was unlike any other—haunting, minimalistic, and far from the standard comedy that surrounds Super Bowl commercials.
The PSA begins with a phone call to 911. The woman on the phone is ordering a pizza, much to the confusion of the Emergency Dispatch Operator. At first, viewers and the operator alike are confused—is this some kind of prank? Eventually, everyone begins to put two and two together; the woman is calling for help, but cannot explicitly ask for it because her abuser is within earshot. This chilling narrative is accompanied by simple shots of a disheveled home: a pile of dirty plates, a fallen picture frame, and a fist-sized hole in a wall. It ends with the bold words, “When it’s hard to talk, it’s up to us to listen.”
This commercial has become a huge deal amongst social media. The NFL teamed up with No More, a five-year old anti-domestic violence organization, to bring awareness to domestic violence. In order to do so, the League donated 30 seconds of airtime for the PSA to show during the Super Bowl. Normally, a commercial like this wouldn’t draw such unusual amounts of attention. However, a thirty-second spot during the Super Bowl can cost upwards of 4.5 million dollars.
At a price so high, viewers wondered why the NFL chose to air this PSA during the Super Bowl—the highest viewed television spectacle in the United States. But after the 2014 domestic violence scandals involving Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, the NFL deemed it highly necessary to make such a huge statement. And they were certainly right. The PSA garnered over 30,000 shares online after being live for only 48 hours. Everyone was talking about it, which was exactly what No More and the NFL aimed to accomplish. “The goal of the PSA is to activate and engage vast audiences of men and women across America in saying NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault,” said No More director Virginia Witt.
Hopefully, this PSA and its high impact on social media will act as a stimulant to the dire conversations that need to be had, yet often remain silent. According to No More, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience violence from their partners in their lifetimes. Even worse, most of these cases will go unreported to the police. It’s time to step up and stop the violence against women, men, and children. The NFL did a fantastic job at giving Americans a way to start the conversation so it’s up to us to continue it. It’s up to us to listen.
Missed the PSA? Watch it here!
Interested in learning more about No More? Visit nomore.org
Are you or a loved one a victim of domestic violence? Please visit thehotline.org for help.
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