03/09/2015
#TheDress becomes powerful ad for domestic violence awareness
The Internet's recent great debate over the color of #thedress (is it black and blue or white and gold??) has been turned into a potent message about domestic abuse. The Salvation Army ad shows a woman covered in bruises wearing a white and gold dress and the message: “Why is it so hard to see black and blue? The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in 6 women are victims of abuse.”
■Class discussion: How well does this ad deliver its serious message? Do you think it will generate as much interest and comment as the original Twitter debate about dress color? Why do people spend so much of their online time reading, watching and talking about celebrities, cat videos, and other frivolous subjects? Do you ever spend time thinking and talking about serious matters of life and death? Why or why not?