At a time when the US surgeon general issued a rare advisory around mental health challenges affecting young people, this pro bono social impact “Show Up” campaign was launched by agency Duncan Channon for San Francisco CASA. The two spots in the package, including this PSA titled “How Not to Be A Hero,” were directed by Luis Peña via Revival Film.
SFCASA transforms the lives of abused and neglected children in foster care by matching them with one consistent, caring volunteer advocate who is trained to stand up for a child’s unique needs in court and in their communities.
SFCASA and Duncan Channon aim to inspire adults from diverse backgrounds to become Court Appointed Special Advocates and offer one-on-one support to foster children in need of a consistent champion. The creative is built to dispel a major barrier in recruiting volunteers: adults’ misperception that you need to be “a hero” or particularly gifted with children to be a transformative force in a foster child’s life. Both spots are shot from the perspective of real children as they move through their world–emphasizing that this role is about showing up for the foster child’s experience, not about heroic acts or skills. In addition to airing regionally in the San Francisco Bay Area, the creative will be available to CASA’s national organization and local chapters.
