#NOEXCUSE: THE REAL INJURY TIME

THE CHALLENGE:

In South Africa, gender-based violence can spike after football games because some fans, men, take their team’s loss and performance frustrations out on their loved ones in the form of domestic abuse. 

THE IDEA:

The Real Injury Time: Use injury time to spotlight the fact that the real injuries happen off the field.

THE EXECUTION:

We needed to get South African men’s attention about gender-based violence spiking after football games and then encourage them to reach out to our dedicated anti-gender-based-violence support line before they lashed out. Carling Black Label hijacked a moment where every South African football fan’s attention would be, the injury time board, during a moment of heightened tension, at a high-stakes South African Premier Soccer League football match.

At 90 minutes, we replaced the injury time board with a countdown clock displaying how many minutes remained before the real injury spikes post-match in communities. For the first time in South African football history, FIFA and the South African Premier Soccer League allowed a brand to display a message on its substitution boards. A message that all men needed to see, urging fans to reflect while reinforcing that win or lose there is no excuse for gender-based violence.

At the final whistle, we broadcast a 60-second TVC featuring soccer icons urging fans to reach out before they lash out and put a stop to GBV, whilst also providing immediate support lines to help.

This message was amplified across every football channel nationwide and live on South African national broadcast television, including TV squeeze-backs, social media, and LED boards in stadiums. Fans were driven to the first-ever support helpline for not just victims but potential perpetrators too via WhatsApp. Over 100 men reached out on day one and the campaign reached millions of South African football fans in stadiums and viewers at home. Because of the success of this campaign, Carling Black Label, along with the SABC and PSL, have committed to running this at every single game for the next season.