After being sexually assaulted, most survivors shower and wash their clothes. However, in the process of washing their clothes, they unwittingly wash away DNA-evidence, making it hard for the investigation to find and convict the perpetrator.

The challenge to the creatives was to come up with an idea that creates maximum impact with zero budget, that would lead to as many people as possible knowing that they should not wash their clothes right after being sexually assaulted: to preserve as much DNA-evidence as possible; to empower the survivor with knowledge; and to ultimately give survivors the confidence - by way of holding actual evidence - to come forward and report the crime.

Furthermore, maison blanche considered it an imperative to push the conversation around gender-based violence and the shockingly low number of convictions of sexual criminals further, to spark systemic change as well.

«Do not wash if you’ve been sexually assaulted.» maison blanche placed these laundry instructions on a small yet powerful touchpoint: on laundry tags in clothes – thereby inventing the Tags Against Crime.

The Tags Against Crime will remind survivors of sexual assault to not wash their clothes to pre-serve DNA-evidence of the perpetrator.

The back of the Tag linked to a hub that contained more information on where to get help as as a survivor, how to help as an ally, and offered the Tag as a downloadable file to other fashion brands, so that they could include it in their collection.

While sexualized crime is a crisis that affects the whole world, it is women and the queer community especially, who suffer from sexual attacks, a lack of empathy and a lack of justice.

To create maximum PR with zero budget, the Tags were launched at the New York Fashion Week, where the international press would be present. To create an impactful image that would travel the world, a large Tag was printed and presented by an almost naked model – causing disruption and shutter clicks all around.

The strategy was to place the message most effectively on an individual level as laundry tags; then to incorporate them in a collection that would reach women and the LGBTQIA+ community (maison blanche costumers); and to finally launch the collection at an event that would be impossible to ignore by the global community – giving the press incentive to amplify the Tags.

– The Tags Against Crime were sewn into maison blanche’s DNA-inspired collection and launched at the New York Fashion Week to a global audience and the international press.

– The tags linked to a website that contained more information: where to get help as survivors and how to support as allies. Partner NGOs offered additional support.

– A downloadable tag was made available so that other brands could include it in their collections.

– On Instagram, we posted facts and mobilized the community to spread awareness.

– The press reported not only about how to preserve evidence but on the lack of survivor justice, pushing the conversation further – from how a survivor can help themselves to how our society needs to change.

– Only 2 weeks after the launch, we reached 14 million media impressions and more fashion brands are adding the Tag to their collection.

Tags Against Crime garnered 14 million media impressions, which is an equivalent of 950’000 US Dollar worth in media value. With zero media budget spent.

maison blanche has further cemented their positioning as political anti-fashion brand and gotten the attention of a lot of audiences outside the fashion word.

Not only has the media reported about how to preserve evidence as an individual, but also on the low numbers of convictions of sexual criminals – pushing the conversation around survivor’s justice further. To this day, media requests to report about the Tags Against Crime are coming in.

More and more fashion brands are including the Tag in their collection.