Louder Than Guns

This is not an ad. This is a wake-up call. The youth of Los Angeles demanded a bold, provocative campaign to break through the noise of gun violence. We became Louder Than Guns. 

Every day in the U.S., 100 people are killed by guns. It’s our new normal. It’s a future the young people of L.A. refuse to accept. The first initiative of its kind, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Youth Council to End Gun Violence is committed to driving action and advocacy on gun violence prevention and intervention. The students that make up the council are our clients, collaborators, and a reminder of what’s at stake. 

Through several workshops, we listened to their lived experiences with gun violence, their stories of loss, their concerns, and their ideas for change. To combat the deeply rooted apathy around the issue and urge people to act, students wanted to create a window into our dystopian near-future. 

“To get people’s attention, we need fake and preposterous ideas that show how ridiculous our solutions are, to show that there has to be a better way.”

—The Mayor’s Youth Council to End Gun Violence member

On May 22nd, ads for gun violence insurance appeared around Los Angeles. 

People were shocked. Confused. Even offended. But the fine print told a different story. Driving to our website and social channels, the ad encouraged Angelenos to take action. Those who called the number for more information were met with statistics around gun violence and an opportunity to leave a voicemail detailing their own personal experiences.  

And on June 7, everything changed. On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, the insurance ads were replaced with a youth-led call to action. 

Ranging from OOH, digital, social, to DIY, all campaign extensions drove Angelenos back to our campaign website to direct people to get involved, in ways big and small. 

Throughout the entire process, Omelet worked closely with The Brady Campaign, March For Our Lives, Giffords, Everytown For Gun Safety, and the City Of Los Angeles to craft a campaign that was reflective of the intersectionality of the issue, the inherent trauma of the topic, and the urgent need for real and lasting change.

Creative Director: Me

Art director: Chelsea Oz, Kailey Riggen

Copywriter: Daniel Paredes, Chad Goodnoe

Associate Creative Director: Jimmy Barker

Creative Director: Chelsea Oz, Florian Bodet