Speak up against Racism: Backyard Blast

Rather than focusing on raising awareness of racism, OCASI chose instead to focus on the indifference that tends to greet many racist actions, while challenging people to step up and say something whenever they encounter such behaviour. The campaign is built around two 30-second spots, “Multiply” and “Backyard Blast,” both of which show a person casually making racist comments.

“Seems like there’s more of them every day,” says one woman after encountering Black people exiting her gym. “Wouldn’t they be happier with their own kind of food, anyway?” she says after gesturing toward a Southeast Asian family at a restaurant.After each incident, the woman grows another head that parrots and laughs along with her remarks, which is followed by a bold super reading “Don’t let racism multiply.”

In “Backyard Blast,” a woman attending a backyard barbecue, casually remarks about “These people…” and “They should just go if…” Each time she is drowned out by fellow partygoers whose voice is the sound of an airhorn, followed by the super “Put racism on blast.”