2025 Winner

During the COVID lockdown, a time when domestic violence surged, the Canadian Women’s Foundation created the “Signal for Help” – a covert hand gesture to discreetly indicate abuse. While the signal spread widely online, by 2023 it began organically appearing in global pop culture, from Law & Order to Family Guy. To keep the momentum going, the Foundation launched the Signal for Help Writer’s Toolkit, a personalized guide for TV and film writers. Each kit included examples of how to depict the signal and appropriate responses, tailored for seven major media markets and languages. The goal: to inspire more writers to include the signal and help save lives on and off-screen.

Credits

TBWA\Canada

Neil Walker-Wells, Executive Creative Director
Robert Cappuccitti, Senior Copywriter
Meagan Eveleigh, Senior Art Director
Michelle Li, Account Director
Angelo Fernandez, Account Executive
Steve Emmens, Managing Director, Integrated Production
Alisha Lemire,Integrated Producer
Shenny Jaffer, Executive producer
Adam Reeves Chief Creative Officer