Can you stomach the truth, asks DONTWATCH.ORG campaign
For our latest grassroots focus, we take a closer look at the compelling DONTWATCH.ORG campaign launched earlier this year. Based on a short seven-minute video, the campaign uses reverse psychology and a strong guerilla activism element to compel people to engage with the shocking truth of how we exploit animals.
The idea behind DONTWATCH.ORG is simple - utilise strong visuals and guerilla activism to get in front of an audience, then give them a healthy dose of reverse psychology so they actually make the effort to engage with your call-to-action. In the case of this campaign, the ‘reverse call-to-action’ is simply to not watch a video, while the ‘can you stomach the truth’ slogan questions the reader’s courage. In telling people not to do something, the team behind the campaign know full well that many won’t be able to help but do the exact opposite. A reported 100,000 views in the first two days of launch certainly seems to back up the theory.
The campaign features stickers and stencils with the website name purposefully designed not to give away too much information, making for creative activism that looks fantastic on social media. This tactic of creating a sense of mystery, taboo even, is well known among marketers - it’s the proverbial ‘big red button’ that aims to bypass people’s reluctance to watch footage that they know will be uncomfortable, let alone footage that they suspect promotes a vegan message and the hostility that can be met with.
And uncomfortable viewing it is. The seven-minute video features footage from farms and slaughterhouses from 20 countries, which the team hopes will convince people that “no matter where they live in the world, animals are being abused on a daily basis for food, clothing, entertainment and testing.”
It’s not all distressing footage of the way in which we humans exploit non-human animals. It is reminiscent of Dominion in many respects and also has ties to the Australian activism scene, but unlike Dominion also covered are the health and environmental benefits of adopting a plant-based lifestyle that aligns with vegan principles and the understanding that animals have rights.
Critics, including many within the vegan advocacy movement, often question the efficacy of showing shocking footage versus taking a purely educational, moderate approach. Arguably, we need both. At Surge, we have shown footage from countless investigations, both our own and through the film Land of Hope and Glory, or by sharing investigations from other organisations. But we also produce educational content for people to share online or use in street outreach.
On this, the activists behind DONTWATCH.ORG, who go by the names Gorilla and Baby Lamb, said that so far the tactic had been hugely effective: “In the first 48 hours of the projects’ launch, over 100,000 people viewed the film and we have received countless messages from people stating that they have gone vegan after watching the shocking video.”
If you would like to get involved, here’s what to do:
Share the website DONTWATCH.ORG with friends and family.
Visit DONTWATCH.ORG and click TAKE ACTION.
Visit DONTWATCH.ORG to get your FREE stencil which can be used to make a sign/poster, street art, customise clothing and more.
Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager at Surge.
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