Roles: Rapid Response Planning & Ideation, Impact Strategy, Creative Strategy, Partnerships

Impact: By taking MTV and Viacom channels off air for 17 minutes, we widened the conversation around who gun violence prevention advocates are and executed one of the highest visibility corporate responses (earning more than 100+ press hits). The campaign changed the way Viacom thought about impact – inspiring a first-ever global campaign called Generation Change.

More: Following the tragic shooting in Parkland, students from across the country rose up to demand change. As the events unfolded, we knew we needed to play a role in supporting youth activism on the ground. When we learned about the National School Walkout on March 14th and March For Our Lives on March 24th, we quickly began developing ideas for how our brands could put a spotlight on and support young people.

During the School Walkout, we suspended MTV network programming for 17 minutes, to stand in solidarity with the students walking out and in honor of the 17 lives lost in Parkland. Rather than going dark, we aired a 17-minute special that put a spotlight on the young and diverse activists around the country who had long been advocating for gun reform and we drove viewers to take action. This extended across all ViacomCBS channels. At the same time, we turned over our MTV social accounts - Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat - to students joining the walk-out across the country – giving a first-hand view into students participating. MTV’s social posts received nearly 100K engagements on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The activation also received more than 100+ press hits, including The New York Times, Associated Press, The Washington Post, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal. This was one the fastest created and highest visibility campaigns I’ve had the chance to develop an idea for and then work on.

In the next phase of the campaign, we teamed up with the NAACP to send 17 buses of diverse young people from cities impacted by gun violence to the March for Our Lives in Washington DC on March 24. This unique partnership helped elevate the stories of students of color as part of the national conversation and ensured their voices were represented during this landmark march.

Spot and graphics created by MTV Entertainment Design Group. Advisors included Everytown for Gun Safety, March For Our Lives, and NAACP Youth & College Division.