Break the shiny bubble the Holidays come wrapped in by using the iconic holiday window display to show them the alternate reality faced by women and children of domestic abuse. Introducing “The Window Project” - a holiday window with a shocking twist. Using innovative animatronic technology, the scene of a classic Christmas meal was turned into a scene of domestic violence when dad struck mom and the kids recoiled in fear. Passers by were able to interact with the mannequins in the window to stop the violence. By texting and donating $5 to OAITH, the robotics were triggered and the abuse in the window stopped for 60 seconds. But if the clock struck zero, it started again. As people continued to interact with the window, they learned that their donations had the power to give shelter to victims of domestic violence.

First we picked a retail store location designed to get people talking - a storefront in the busiest shopping district in the city. Partnering with a local window designer we created a classic holiday window that felt familiar and inviting yet had the power to stop passers by and move them to donate. From the mid–century modern furniture and pastel-coloured wallpaper, to how the robotics animated our mannequins – the classic 1950’s aesthetics we chose were crucial in driving the desired reaction. The iconic family holiday dinner scene was set to animate every ten seconds, transforming from idyllic to violent as dad struck mom and the kids recoiled in fear. A television prompted onlookers to text a donation – instantly stopping the violence in the window for 60 seconds before it would start again.

In one week the campaign garnered over 80 million media impressions with coverage from the NY Times, Huffington Post, the Globe and Mail and many national newscasts. Over the week the campaign reached over 4.5 million people on Twitter with 300,000 online mentions. On Facebook OAITH and Yellow Brick House achieved their highest levels of organic reach ever.