Despite being an "important part" of the NFL season, a league-sponsored campaign against domestic violence "has stagnated," according to Jane McManus of ESPNW. The campaign, which the league committed more than $35M to, "had nothing to do with football or the NFL initially." But the league and No More, a collection of groups against domestic violence including the Joyful Heart Foundation,
"partnered up after the Ray Rice debacle made inaction impossible." No More has the "credibility on the issue that the NFL lacked." Campaign co-creator Joyful Heart CEO Maile Zambuto said that the "original concept ... elicited dozens of calls from NFL players who wanted to be involved in the next incarnation." The "Speechless" campaign was "initially slated for gradual release over a period of three years, but with the time donated by the NFL, the release time was moved up." McManus wrote the ads "are powerful, but they've been running for weeks," and the concept "needs to evolve in order to keep the momentum on the issue." The conversation "actually has to start." Instead, the ads are "in danger of looking like a screen test for 'The Notebook.'" Reactions to the ads are "becoming more and more cynical." There have been questions about the "dedication the NFL has" to the campaign, and the "assumption is that the ads are window dressing, looking like action without requiring effort." NFL fans "won't necessarily care ... that this is, overall, a smart and creative campaign about a difficult issue." Over 18 weeks, the ad variations "have become somewhat worn." The NFL "will run another No More ad for the last time this week." Zambuto said that it is the "length of the campaign's agreement with the league." Zambuto said that her group "has another concept on deck, but it won't be ready for the Super Bowl" (
ESPNW.com, 1/14).
