The “Decoding Women” campaign, developed by TBWA\Paris for Consentis and HandsAway, addresses the critical issue of consent, aiming to shift societal attitudes and behaviors in France. The brand proposition centers on making consent education a prominent and unavoidable topic rather than a marginal one, emphasizing clear boundaries with the unequivocal message: “If it’s not yes, it’s no.” This communicates a strong, non-negotiable stance on respecting individual autonomy and reinforces the value of informed, enthusiastic consent as foundational to healthy relationships.
The market strategy leverages a stark insight revealed by a recent report from the High Council for Equality between Women and Men — that a significant portion of women (33%) have engaged in sexual activity under partner pressure, highlighting gaps in consent awareness and education. By partnering two established associations committed to consent advocacy, the campaign seeks to maximize impact through unified messaging and social credibility. The creative approach uses a documentary/social experiment format to engage viewers, aiming to provoke reflection and conversation across a broad demographic spectrum. The campaign’s integrated media asset and positioning within the public service category reinforce its educational intent, targeting not only women but society at large, particularly younger generations, to recalibrate social norms and drive cultural change around consent.
FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally.
This campaign, “Decoding Women,” centers on raising awareness about consent and the broader issue of sexual sexism, emphasizing that education must be impactful and resonate across generations. The genre is labeled as Documentary/Social Experiment—a common choice for campaigns that use analogy, illustrative scenarios, or symbolic depictions to highlight entrenched cultural problems. The campaign’s framing (“If it’s not YES, it’s NO!”) and focus on awareness, not personal testimonials or story arcs, strongly suggest an approach where the concept of consent is “decoded” or interpreted through symbolic or analogical devices rather than literal representation. There’s no indication the work unfolds through a story with a product/solution, nor is a celebrity, testimonial, or aspirational user depicted. Instead, the documentary/social experiment framework likely employs situations, visual metaphors, or symbolic role-play to deliver its core message—making FORMAT#3, Symbolize the Problem, the most fitting device.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Association européenne contre les Violences Faites aux Femmes au Travail (AVFT) – Positioned as France’s leading organization combating workplace sexism and sexual harassment, AVFT differentiates itself through legal support services and advocacy focused specifically on labor environments, raising awareness and pushing for policy reforms in corporate and institutional settings.
2. Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes (FNSF) – This federation acts as a national umbrella for numerous local shelters and support centers for victims of domestic violence, emphasizing direct aid, crisis intervention, and public awareness campaigns to combat gender-based violence across all demographics with a strong community support network.
3. Osez le Féminisme! – Osez le Féminisme! takes a feminist activist stance, using grassroots campaigning and media advocacy to address systemic sexism and gender inequality in France. Their strategic angle is empowering young women through education and lobbying for legislative change, with a bold, provocative communication style.
4. CIDFF (Centre d’Information sur les Droits des Femmes et des Familles) – CIDFF focuses on providing information, counseling, and legal advice to women and families, differentiating itself by combining awareness campaigns with practical support services, enabling women to understand and exercise their rights in various aspects of social life.
5. SOS Femmes – SOS Femmes emphasizes rapid-response support and emergency shelters for victims of domestic violence, combined with preventive education campaigns. Their market positioning is centered on immediate safety and empowerment of women through accessible intervention, partnering closely with local authorities and healthcare providers.
Q: What is Decoding Women about?
A: Decoding Women is a 2023 public service campaign created by TBWA\Paris for Consentis and HandsAway, two leading French associations dedicated to consent advocacy. The campaign was launched in response to urgent findings from the High Council for Equality between Women and Men, which revealed that 33% of women in France have experienced unwanted sex due to partner insistence. Using an integrated media approach and a documentary/social experiment format, Decoding Women aims to elevate consent education from a marginal topic to a mainstream social priority, targeting all generations and driving public discourse around the unequivocal message: If it’s not yes, it’s no.
Q: What creative device does Decoding Women use?
A: Decoding Women employs FORMAT#3 Symbolize the Problem, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Rather than depicting real-life testimonials or literal scenarios, the campaign uses symbols, analogies, and illustrative situations to represent the issue of consent and sexual sexism. This creative approach, delivered through a documentary/social experiment genre, is designed to provoke reflection and conversation by decoding the concept of consent in a way that resonates across demographics, making the issue both accessible and unavoidable in the public consciousness.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Decoding Women?
A: The campaign proposition for Decoding Women centers on making consent education a central and unavoidable topic in French society, particularly in light of troubling statistics around sexual coercion. Consentis and HandsAway position themselves as authoritative voices demanding clear boundaries and respect for individual autonomy, with the uncompromising message: If it’s not yes, it’s no. The campaign targets society at large, with a particular emphasis on younger generations, aiming to shift mentalities, recalibrate social norms, and foster a culture where informed, enthusiastic consent is foundational to healthy relationships.
Q: How does Decoding Women rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Decoding Women holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 61/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in Consentis and HandsAway's category?
A: In the French public interest sector focused on gender equality and consent, key competitors include AVFT, which leads on workplace sexism and legal advocacy; Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes, known for its extensive shelter network and crisis intervention; Osez le Féminisme!, which adopts a bold activist stance to empower young women and drive legislative change; CIDFF, which combines awareness campaigns with practical legal support for women and families; and SOS Femmes, which prioritizes rapid-response support and emergency shelter, working closely with local authorities to ensure immediate safety and empowerment for victims of domestic violence.
ARCHIVE.webp)
