A psychological study is at the heart of a new campaign by Hey Girls, the social enterprise founded by Celia Hodson to tackle period poverty. The idea, created by adam&eveDDB, revolves around a film called “Seeing Red” which has been carefully crafted to evoke anger that motivates positive action.
The proposed dictionary definition of period poverty, as shown in the film, is a lack of safe access to period products due to financial or social constraints. Period poverty affects 1 in 10 in the UK and surged in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. In fact, a survey by the charity Plan International UK showed that as many as one third of 14 to 21s in the U.K. struggled to access or afford period products during lockdown.
The “Seeing Red” film, produced by PRETTYBIRD UK and directed by Margot Bowman, depicts the anguish of a girl caught unprepared at school when her period starts, brought arrestingly – and graphically – to life. In it, an array of techniques are used to evoke anger – all informed by psychological insight by Dr Philip Gable, Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Delaware.
Conceived by adam&eveDDB, the idea came from the insight that despite its negative connotations, anger is one of the most motivating human emotions. The aim was to harness anger to encourage positive action – in this case, to remove the injustice of period poverty.
Psychological insights were used throughout the film’s development and production. From its narrative arc and character depictions, to the soundtrack, pace and use of color, a range of elements were specifically devised to evoke anger and motivate action.
Variations of the film were tested before release. The results were then used to optimize the final edit to maximize the motivating form of anger and action that was intended. On average, watching the film made participants feel over 3 times angrier, results showed. Further, the more intense they found the film and the angrier they were, the stronger their desire to take action and buy Hey Girls products.
Dr Gable was closely involved at every step throughout the initiative’s evolution to ensure that the audience’s anger was evoked and then harnessed in an ethical and responsible way.
Hey Girls’ aim for the campaign is twofold: to get everyone in 2021 “Seeing Red,” heightening awareness of U.K. period poverty; and to encourage action to combat period poverty by buying Hey Girls period products. With its buy-one-give-one structure Hey Girls gives away a comparable product to those in need for each one of its products bought. This is reflected in the call to action at the end of the film: ‘End Period Poverty. You buy one. We give one’.
The film “Seeing Red” launches online today (5/5). Its soundtrack, “Grovelling Warts,” was composed by Esther Joy Lane and is being released as a single on the same day.
Laura Rogers, global creative director at adam&eveDDB, said “What made this project so unique is that the idea forced us to work in a completely new way. Every creative choice was measured against one question: will it make people angry? We had to listen to the science. This sometimes put us at odds with our instincts to refine and finesse. But when it felt uncomfortable, we knew we were on the right track.”
