2022 Winner

SilverBest Use of Social Media

People of Colour in Advertising &
Marketing (POCAM)

"Cause to Pause"
Barrett and Welsh
Prior to the 2021 anniversary of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis by a white police officer, the People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing (POCAM) anticipated that agencies and brands would post performative statements as some had done the previous year. To head off opportunistic messaging, POCAM, with Barrett and Welsh, deployed its “Cause to Pause” social media campaign, asking brands and agencies to be respectful of the day and thoughtful towards Black colleagues.

The campaign’s centrepiece was a simple video/GIF, featuring a stark image of a white “pause” button on a black background asking audiences to “Pause,” “Remember” and “Rise for Equity” in memory of George Floyd. Posted on POCAM’s LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram accounts, the campaign drew attention from industry press and earned over 3,500 impressions across platforms.

Credits

Gavin Barrett, Chief Creative Officer
Mike Welsh, Chief Creative Officer
Gavin Barrett, Copywriter
Gavin Barrett, Art Director