Prove to teens that they can make a difference in the gun violence debate.
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
CLIENT
Social Impact | VCU Brandcenter Live Client
TYPE
The Pitch
Since 1993, the leading non-profit Brady has worked to end gun violence in the United States. In 2018, Brady formed their youth arm, Team Enough, to give a voice to those most affected—youth activists aged 13 to 25 who have experienced gun violence firsthand. Brady sees Team Enough as their greatest asset against gun violence, but they were struggling to engage teens. After researching young people’s feelings toward guns, we uncovered something interesting: there is more consensus across the political spectrum than one would believe.
The insight? Teens are tired of fighting over guns.
The Challenge
Overcome societal and political divisions on gun control, leveraging the unique perspectives of youth who have experienced gun violence firsthand.
Deliverables
Brand Identity
Brand Messaging
Social Media Strategy
Out of Home Advertising
Experiential Marketing
Content Creation
Merchandise Design
The Brief
The gun violence conversation has been never-ending for 30+ years.
38,826 people die from gun violence every year.
That’s 106 people dying every single day.
Everyone can agree this is a problem. However, we can’t agree on how to fix this problem. For decades, we’ve taken sides and refused to listen, leading to a legislature that refuses to act.
Teenagers care that people are dying, but they are losing hope that anything will change.
And what happens when nothing changes?
Apathy. Numbness. Indifference.
Teenagers want to rebel.
We spoke to 13 to 25-year-olds, and discovered they’re rejecting their parents' divisive politics and finding a middle ground on gun policies.
Young Republicans signal a willingness to consider a stricter stance on gun control. In February 2023, 47% of Gen Z Republicans supported more restrictive gun laws, compared to 41% in August 2022.
Younger Democrats who want to be gun owners are open to taking a more nuanced approach to gun control that doesn’t involve gun grabbing.
The ultimate rebellion
is compromise.
This generation is primed to rebel—against their parents, their elders, and society.
We set out to remind them that the most radical way they could ever rebel is finally finding a compromise on gun violence.
The Creative Concept
We Can Agree.
Despite how divided America feels, there are things we can all agree on. We wanted to shine a light on these commonalities to show that with gun safety, all sides win. By engaging the next generation early, before apathy or extreme polarization sets in, we can show them that collaboration and compromise drive real change.
Our Rebranding Vision
Ignite a sense of connection through a new Team Enough logo that symbolizes alliance—bringing together red & blue (Republican and Democrat) to reveal purple, the color of compromise.
Leverage social media, experiential activations, and brand partnerships to connect with youth on their terms, building trust and encouraging participation in Team Enough.
Tap into Gen Z's shared cultural likes and passions through social media and events, highlighting common ground.
Convert the Target Audience Directly Where They Are: College Campuses
Brady and Team Enough are not well-known among teens and young adults. We knew we’d have to expand their reach by starting in places already filled with their target demographic: on and around college campuses. So, we began by strategically placing billboards and posters around college campuses, creating eye-catching headlines and QR codes for each that would lead people directly to the Team Enough social media pages.
Engage New Audience by Speaking Their Language
Our campaign would mostly live on socials, where owned posts point a handful of pop-culture topics we can all agree on (e.g. Dolly Parton is a national treasure). Speaking Gen Z’s language authentically was key for engagement. Since pop culture trends spread like wildfire, we utilized it as a bridge to help the message of compromise on gun violence spread like wildfire, too.
Experiential Activation | Strategic Partnership for Massive Visibility
Team Enough needed to make headlines, so we brought the “We Can Agree” campaign to a space where division is celebrated: collegiate sports. We encouraged Team Enough to partner with the NCAA where heavily rivaled colleges that have been impacted by gun violence, such as Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia, could come together on the issue. All fans would wear purple to show their support. Additionally, we developed a concession stand, where users worked together to get their condiments. Whether you’re Team Ketchup or Team Mustard, you have to press down together, finding unity in differences through teamwork—conveniently on theme for the event.
Takeaways & Learning
The client was excited by a pitch that made division the enemy rather, than any particular side. In the end, we learned how to interview people about highly sensitive subjects, how to find the positive, creative possibilities in a dark topic, and most importantly, how to use empathy as a vehicle to convert broad target audiences. We spoke to people whom we did not agree with politically, but knew that both sides’ concerns were equally crucial to crafting a campaign that would not only involve everyone, but also make a real impact.
My Role
Research, Survey Development, 1x1 Interviews, Strategic Thinking, Brief Writing, Deck Flow & Narrative, Competitive Analysis, Social Listening, Deck Design, Client Pitching
The Team
Alex Abbott (XD)
Cat Clark (AD)
Derek Martin (ST)
Sarah Hardin (AM)
Selma Kettwich (CW)
Tahmari Tupponce (AD)