Miami Beach Bus Shelter across from the Convention Center/ Sept. 2010
A year or two ago I was offered the opportunity to work with the Ad Council, GLSEN (Gay and Lesbian and Straight Education Network), and Arnold WW/NYC. A friend and art director I had worked with (the very cool Nate Guillard) on another project mentioned this Anti-Bullying campaign, called "Think B4 U Speak" that he had going on. It's not often in our line of work that you get to do things that are not just out there to sell a product, show off some hot babe, or eventually line birdcages and destroy forests. So when he explained that the concept was to stop the anti-gay bullying in vulnerable teenage children and was aimed at changing the perspective in teens about the use of the actual word "gay", I immediately offered to be involved.
"the Jock"
At the time some very open minded and good friends of mine of course immediately made the obvious jokes which further galvanized my desire to work on the project. The core of this is that it was an opportunity to do something pro-bono that could actually begin the type of dialogue on a national level that can really lead to a form of social change.
"the Cheerleader"
The ads are all over the country on bus shelters, subways, and billboards. Some people like them others think the design is terrible and the message is stupid, but either way it is provoking thought, which is what the aim was. Open the national dialogue. I know I joke and kid a lot about a lot of things, but now I am a dad. I will openly say that whatever sexual orientation my child chooses for her life will have no affect on how much I love her and care for her. Her life and the lives of children everywhere should not bullied or pushed into such dark corners from all the negativity that can be associated with being "gay" that suicide becomes an option.
"the Gamer"
In the last few months of a large amount of media attention has been about the many teens and college students who have recently decided they could no longer take the bullying and chose suicide as a way out. Unfortunately, all of this could have been avoided had this dialogue been opened 20 years ago. I hope this campaign continues to open the dialogue and that people can teach their children tolerance for others, this is the new civil rights movement and I hope to see this generation change the inequalities the gay and lesbian community face as it is real and it is evil and it should be stopped. Gay people are not going to harm your wives and children, they are not going to destroy your way of life, they are not going to subversively take over the world, if anything they will make it a lot more fun, make it much better dressed and accessorized, and probably look a whole lot better.
If you see one of these on the street do me a favor and take a pic with your phone and post on my facebook or on here. Thanks. Also thanks to Liz Tuncer the art buyer who also made this work out. All shot through the beautiful daylight windows at Drive-In studios in Chelsea, NYC.
Shot on 4x5 film with a 1/4 stop silk through windows and we shot some digi on the Hasselblad w/ p45+ Phase One digital back.
If you want to know more about the campaign or the organizations involved you can click on the links above or go to:
To download the campaign go to (scroll down the page as there are several other ads as well): http://www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com/DownloadandShare/
