Back to school: Neon collab with Artist For Action spotlights terrible reality of U.S. gun violence
Back to school: Neon collab with Artist For Action spotlights terrible reality of U.S. gun violence
Launched this past Monday, Neon, an IPG Health company, and Artist for Action unveiled a new campaign called ‘Not So Lucky’ to draw attention to the epidemic of gun violence in America’s schools. Simply put, the campaign’s target audience is “everyone who lives in the United States and cares about the safety of our kids in our schools,” Jesse Kates, managing director/creative lead at Neon, told Med Ad News.
According to Sandy Hook Promise, every day 12 children die in America as a result of gun violence. To frame this in the context of the current season – summer – firearm deaths happen at a rate five times that of drowning.
The campaign imagery uses AI-generated portraits of children with tape over their left ear, a clear reference to the assassination attempt on former President Trump, along with the statement, “Not everyone is that lucky.” The launch deliberately coincides with the start of the new school year in America.
“‘Not So Lucky’ was inspired by recent events in the U.S. that were a shocking reminder that even the most protected people in our country aren’t safe from gun violence. It highlights the national public health epidemic that impacts too many children and communities, and tragically many children are not as lucky, and do not survive these horrifying events. In partnership with Artist For Action, we saw an urgent opportunity to bring attention to this terrible reality as our kids are headed back to school,” says Kates. “I am incredibly proud of Neon/IPG Health and our partnership with AFA. This campaign is – itself – a small example of the impact passionate people can make when they unite around a common goal.”
Kates hopes that the campaign motivates people to participate in the efforts to stop gun violence – whether through voting, volunteering, and/or donating. He adds that the campaign will continue to run as long as it “remains impactful.”
