HuffPost: "Hip-Hop, SMS and Facebook: "The New Way of Tackling Violence Against Women in Côte d'Ivoire"

Kajeem and Nash performing Brisons le Silence song at launch. (Photo: V.Williams)

A little write-up about our campaign from Stefano Gelmini, 

IRC UK office in the HuffPost, Impact section: 

Hip-hop, SMS and Facebook: The New Way of Tackling Violence Against Women in Côte d'Ivoire

#Kony2012: Not just annoying, but dangerous.

Since my blog is about social marketing and the powers it may have to “change the world,” I thought I would comment on the #Kony2012 phenomenon, not really as a real bona-fide campaign (because it isn’t) but as an example of what can go wrong when the creators of a campaign completely disregard (or are ignorant of) the proven principles of social and behavior change marketing as well as the supposed benefactors of the campaign. It’s clear that Invisible Children, Inc., the organization that created the campaign, knows nothing about social marketing.  They just figured they could make a video and “make it go viral,” not bothering to ask their audiences what they needed, or wanted. I call it the “just add water” method of campaign design.

The film is about the Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a militant group that originated in Uganda but has moved on to terrorize neighboring countries of South Sudan, DRC, and the Central African Republic. Joseph Kony was indicted in 2005 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and has been proved nearly impossible to capture. Ostensibly, the film was the kick-off for a campaign that focuses on making Kony “famous” enough within largely Western, pop culture/social media circles to somehow get him arrested, or it seems, assassinated.

If you’re not one of the 85 Million people who’ve seen the video in the last few weeks, here’s a link. 

Social Marketing uses commercial marketing principles to affect societal and behavior change, for the better.  Shortly after the “Mad Men” era in the 60s, it was determined by a few “Good Men” that if marketing and advertising could be used get people to buy cigarettes and Coca Cola, it might also be used to encourage positive things like wearing a seat-belt, not littering, and quitting smoking.  Although the term is used interchangeably with “social media,” it actually has little to do with social media, except that social marketing campaigns can include social media in an overall media plan that may also include print, radio and TV.  Most social marketing campaigns are heavily researched to determine what the key problem and related objectives are, along with their nuances and patterns.  Then, it’s determined what is the desired behavior and or attitudinal change to affect that problem, and who are the groups or audiences who are most likely to adopt the behavior.

After the fall-out from the Kony 2012 film, the creators appeared on CNN and other media outlets to try to explain their intentions, but this didn’t seem to help, nor did the subsequent incident involving public masturbation by Jason Russell help their cause.   How did they end up in such Kaka, if all they really wanted to do was help these Ugandan children? 

Let’s break it down into a few “Social Marketing 101” basics:

Objective: 

Who are they trying to reach and why? Clearly they were able to reach young people throughout the world who wanted to be part of something big, and who donated their piggy-bank money for the cause yes, but also to get a t-shirt.  So they raised money, to make more t-shirts, and thongs (more on that below) of all things.  But is their objective simply to raise money or to actually affect change? Are the people in power in Uganda or the ICC going to take this campaign seriously? Giving them the benefit of the doubt (and boy, is that difficult!) that they are raising this money for their programs, how are these programs specifically helping the children in Uganda now (or countries that are now feeling the brunt of the LRA’s brutality) other than getting them a ticket to America or a spot in the video?

Message: 

The key message that Jason Russell and Invisible Children tout is that they want to make Kony “famous.” Really?  Have they even looked in a dictionary to define the word famous?  Here, I’ll help: 
Famous: [fey-muhs] adjective

1. having a widespread reputation, usually of a favorable nature; renowned; celebrated: a famous writer.

At the very least they might use a word like infamous—would you call Hitler famous? It reminds me of the days I taught English as a Second Language, and I would do a comprehension check using an absurd sentence that would be sure to let me know if my students “got it.”  Bookstore: Would you buy a dog in a bookstore? Really, it seems that obvious to me.  Maybe it’s the university of reality television that has drummed into the Y Generation’s head that simply being on television defines you as “famous” and being worthy of a t-shirt, or for that matter a campaign.  Here, Invisible Children is reinforcing this idea with young idealistic philanthropists.

Messenger:

With any campaign, you must also consider the messenger.  An American guy from San Diego, CA, USA. Hmm. Doesn’t seem to be any consideration for the audience, or the intended benefactors of the campaign: Ugandans. 

Media: 

Marketers choose media and products to get their message across that also provide a “benefit” for the audience and spread the message. Invisible Children chose thongs.  Thongs, really? There are many things wrong with this, number one your audience includes children, and your intended benefactors too.  Secondly, rape, a common weapon of war, is also common weapon of the LRA.   In no way shape or form should sexuality or “sexiness” be associated with atrocities of this kind. Further, the “Che-like” romanticizing of Kony is another reason people are so pissed off and uncomfortable with this campaign. These factors are probably the most harmful of the all,  as the massive attention being paid to these images and associations by young people may have a detrimental effect on social norms, i.e. associating brutal rape with sex, and wearing an image of a brutal killer on a t-shirt seems “cool” and “normal.”

Take a campaign like SlutWalk, which was started in Toronto in 2011 by several women in response to controversial comments made by a police constable that suggested rape survivors “asked for it” by “dressing like sluts.”  Why is this campaign different? Because they are turning the problem on its head, with the idea that no matter how a woman dresses, she should never be blamed for being raped.  Because the messengers are credible, real women, the campaign stuck with women all over the world, creating a live-viral phenomenon worldwide, from Rio to Johannesburg. 

So what did Invisible Children do right? In my opinion, nothing.  No doubt they raised money, but seems to me to pay for more thong underwear and t-shirts than affect legislation, influence decision makers, or empower survivors.

There are many that agree with me, but also many that don’t, including ICC Chief Prosecutor  Louis Moreno Ocampo, who said the social media campaign by Invisible Children had “mobilised the world.” Sarah Margon pointed out in her post on Thinkprogress.org that one benefit of Kony 2012 may be the flood of attention paid to LRA and the need for action.  This may be true to some degree, but public awareness rarely translates into action, and further, the propagation of images of disfigured children “victimizes” them yet again and reinforces the social norm that this is something current, widespread, and difficult to do anything about, other than, of course, to assassinate Kony.  If some think that’s a worthy enough goal, look no further than Hitler and Bin Laden, who now share a t-shirt with Kony thanks to Invisible Children.  These men may be dead, but their legacy of hate lives on, and putting them on a t-shirt out of context only normalizes them, even if it demonizes them for a moment.

This campaign, if I were going to take it on, would be directed to the people who are most able to influence Ugandan officials—that is Ugandans. Involve them in every step of the campaign, from audience selection, to messages, to messengers.  They may not be able to donate money, but they can tell you what they would like to happen, how justice might be served, and whom should be targeted.  My guess it is not Kony (the ICC already has them on their list) but the people in power who continue to turn a blind eye and allow impunity to continue.

Some worthy reading and takes on #Kony2012:

Elliott Ross, Africa is a Country Blog  The #Kony2012 Show 

Sean Jacobs, Africa is a Country Blog  #Kony2012 The Musical 

Jezebel

NY Times Archives

The "Break the Silence" song with English Lyrics

This is Kajeem and Nash, two of the artists who created a theme song for our campaign to combat violence against women and girls in Cote d'Ivoire. DJ Mix, not present at the launch, also contributed.  Please visit our Youtube page, above, to hear the song as well as see some of our TV spots, and if you like, follow us on Twitter and FB! 


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brisons-le-Silence-IRC/161505667298814Twitter: briseslesilenceYoutube: http://www.youtube.com/user/BrisesleSilence

Brisons le Silence! Break the Silence - LYRICS   

English Translation follows each section. Original song is in French and Nouchi.

NASH

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout, lèves- toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh, Debout

Ne laisse pas ta sœur, ta femme être daba

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout lèves-toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh ! Debout

Ne laisse pas ton enfant, ta femme gbé de larmes

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Don’t let your sister, your wife be beaten.

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, oh stand up!

Don’t let your child, your wife be filled with tears

DJ MIX

Regarde bien, autour de toi

Et tu trouveras quelqu’un qui vit un vrai drame

Surement non loin de toi

Quelqu’un qui en cachette essuie ses larmes

Tendre la main face  à la détresse

Peut être suffisant pour apaiser une âme en détresse

Alors debout !

Look carefully around you

And you will find someone who lives a real drama

Probably not far from you

Someone who secretly wipes her tears

Reach out your hand to her

It may be enough to soothe a soul in distress

So stand up!

REFRAIN

Joins-toi à nous pour briser le silence

Pour sortir ceux qui souffrent de l’indifférence.

CHORUS

Join us to break the silence

Help those who suffer out of indifference.

REFRAIN

Faut la soutra !!!

Elle a besoin de son Gbonhi, de toi, de moi, de lui, de nous tous

Sois pas dégba

On est prêt pour toi

Nos bras sont dédjas, fini les gbangbans

CHORUS

Come on,  help her!

She needs her family, you, me, him and all of us -

Do not be discouraged

You can count on us

Our arms are open

No more problems

COUPLET

Quand quelqu’un est dans ennui à sanh le fuir

Si son gbonhi même le tchoun, il va djô en brousse

Môgô, voilà ton gomie

Parent, celui là c’est ton gopio

Tous, les gbôs ensemble, sciançons en pro

Faut pas les souahé, faut écouter

Leurs doussous est entrain de kassis

Va avec eux, chez les môgônis, là bas, on peut pas mettre ton dra

Solution est gbé, soutrali est waaa, la gbê, va faut essayer, hum tu vas me couman

VERSE

When a person is in distress or troubled, do not turn away

If her family, who should comfort, lays blame, or abandons her she will recoil with shame and sadness

Man, this is your wife!

Parent, this is your child!

Together, we will support her

Do not reject her

Rather, listen to her, for her heart bleeds

Drive to the Social Center where she will feel better

A place where your secret is safe and where we take care of you

Here, we will help you find a solution to your problem

You will be comforted, you will be protected

I encourage you to go there, try and you'll see I'm not wrong

NASH

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout, lèves- toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh, Debout

Ne laisse pas ta sœur, ta femme être daba

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout lèves-toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh ! Debout

Ne laisse pas ton enfant, ta femme gbé de larmes

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Don’t let your sister, your wife be beaten.

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Don’t let your child, your wife be filled with tears

KAJEEM

Quand la famille qui devrait protéger

Devient le lieu  de tortures et de souffrances

Quand ceux qu’on  a de cesse d’aimer

Sont ceux qui nous font vivre les pires expériences

Soutenir, mais ne pas juger

Ecouter, déculpabiliser

Rester discret, et accompagner

Sont autant de choses qu’on peut faire pour aider

Toutes ses femmes, ses enfants meurtris

Qui face à la violence  des leurs ont choisit le repli

Kajeem, Nash et Dj mix viennent te dire ceci

Ne sois pas de ceux qui restent là sans rien faire

When the family should protect

Becomes the place of torture and suffering

When those we have to stop loving

Are those from whom we experience the worst

Support, don’t judge

Listen, don’t blame

Be discreet, and accompany

These things you can do to help

All these wives, these children demoralized

Who face violence and choose to retreat

Kajeem, Nash and DJ Mix tell you this

Be not the one who does nothing 

REFRAIN

Joins-toi à nous pour briser le silence

Pour sortir ceux qui souffrent de l’indifférence

CHORUS

Join us to break the silence

Help those who suffer out of indifference.

REFRAIN 

Faut la soutra !!!

Elle a besoin de son Gbonhi, de toi, de moi, de lui, de nous tous

Sois pas dégba

On est prêt pour toi

Nos bras sont dédjas, fini les gbangbans

CHORUS

Come on, help her!

She needs her family, you, me, him and all of us -

Do not be discouraged

You can count on us

Our arms are open

No more problems

NASH

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout, lèves- toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh, Debout

Ne laisse pas ta sœur, ta femme être daba

Debout oh ! Debout

Debout lèves-toi, vas au centre social

Debout oh ! Debout

Ne laisse pas ton enfant, ta femme gbé de larmes

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Don’t let your sister, your wife be beaten.

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Stand up, get up and go to the social center

Stand up, Oh stand up!

Don’t let your child, your wife be filled with tears

Kajeem et Nash fait le prestation lors du lancement

The Launch, 3 - Days Away!

This is Jazz, our event planner.  Me thinks that the gesture he is making with his hand is not a hip hop thang but a universal sign for "Yeah, the event is in less than a week but we have it down."

The Palais de la Culture is in the "Plateau," or what Issouf calls the "Manhattan" section of Abidjan. All I know is that it's the only place in town I've seen a proper cafe, but I haven't yet ventured there. Nescafe is starting to taste good to me.  In Peace Corps Morocco we used to call that "assimilating" and my co-workers have informed me that "Tu es arrivé," meaning "I've arrived." Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Although in Peace Corps we also had the "over assimilators" -- the volunteers who went to the "Bled" i.e. the country, and would return for a rare trip to the city with eyes-wide and hair askew, and who would suddenly awake from their catatonic stuper if the word "ice-cream" was uttered.  Rumor has it that those volunteers were not experiencing culture-shock but copious amounts of contact with a local herb native to the bled. Anyway, back to the venue at hand. The Palais de la Culture was built in the late 90s with financing from the Chinese. It's probably the most impressive building in Abidjan, aside from the huge Catholic Cathedral, which is impressive more for size than aesthetic reasons.

The venue overlooks the Ébrié Lagoon.

The not-so-impressive building below is where we are getting all the sound equipment for the event.  If this were happening in the States, I would say sketchy, but here it just makes sense--you don't need expensive security equipment when your bureau looks like an abandoned building. We'll see during our run-through tomorrow if the equipment belies its storage facilities.