Step Back Think reminds us to ‘smash a kebab, not a face’ in new work via Common Ventures
Sydney creative agency Common Ventures has unveiled the second phase of its ‘Let it go’ campaign for anti-violence lobbying group, Step Back Think.
Launched on digital OOH in Sydney’s busiest city train stations, the new campaign presents a fresh direction in addressing one of Australia’s biggest social problems – alcohol-fuelled violence.
Rather than using shock tactics and graphic images to scare proper drinking etiquette into rowdy pub patrons, Common Ventures’ bright creative equips young people with 6 new humorous slogans. From kebabs to karaoke, the concept offers safer late-night alternatives to end a night of drinking.
The ‘Let it go’ campaign was born from Adshel’s 2012 agency Creative Challenge, in which a donation of $100,000 worth of media space was awarded to Common Ventures’ initial concept. The idea proved so successful that it was further developed into a full campaign for this summer.
Says Georgie McCarthy, copywriter: “Most young people are already well aware of the consequences of alcohol fuelled-violence – the media and other campaigns have made sure of that. We wanted to be eye-catching without sounding too authoritative and having our target audience ignore the message completely because they feel they’ve seen it all before.”
Considering the recent launch of the NSW Government’s own campaign to curb one-punch violence, no doubt all eyes will be on Sydney’s late-night hot spots for evidence of changed social behavior or at least a spike in kebab sales.
Client: Step Back Think
Agency: Common Ventures
Creative Directors: Brian Merrifield, Jane Burhop
Copywriter: Georgie McCarthy
Art Director: David Charlesworth
Producer: Ashley Kerr 
9 Comments
The strongest attempt I’ve seen of this yet.
so the innovative upstart startup comes up with an…(drun roll please) outdoor campaign?
WTF is a ‘baller’?
Not sure about the tone here. “Is one punch worth it?” is a strong message, but delivering it with wordplay and quirky illustrations seems trite. Some nice lines, sure, but not sure how motivating they would be. Would they make you stop and think?
It also feels like there are too many messages on one poster here: “Step Back Think”, “Let it go” and “Is one punch worth it?” Not to mention the headline.
Reckon the JWT “Stop before it gets ugly” campaign nails it, personally.
I just can’t see how this campaign, or the other similar ones, has any hopeof success.
The lines have some wit. The art direction is indeed light-hearted.
But alcohol fuelled thugs tend not to recall pithy slogans or admire the use of strike-through thpe
Were they rational they wouldn’t be out there smacking strangers.
Apart from the complete psychos, most of it is peer group led or encouraged. I would thing the mosy effective route would be something like what had happened with drink driving and especially the tiny dick speeding campaign.
If all your mates, and all the chicks, think you’re a dick and tell you you might stop.
And if we started holding the thug’s mates responsible that might help to.
Nice one bri
Yeah, these don’t seem very compelling, I kinda feel the lines don’t match. “Is one punch worth not eating a kebab?”
I’m getting back to my ghost chips now.
Unfortunately an AWARD School standard print campaign like this will not do a thing to touch what is a complex social problem. It’s not a problem advertising can solve – certainly not this sort of cutesie-pie advertising. But then governments and various feelgood entities have to be seen to be doing something I suppose.