Cheil | Centrade's Stirring Campaign Tackles Domestic Violence as Mask Mandates Are Lifted in Romania

March 8th, International Women’s Day, coincidentally also marks the end of the official state of alert in Romania, after almost two years. As the number of COVID-19 cases is decreasing, the authorities decided to lift a series of restrictions starting today, including the obligation to wear masks.

However, hundreds of thousands of Romanian women will still have their nose and mouth covered. Either by the palm of an abusing partner or by their own palm, as they contemplate the dire situations of the other pandemic in anguish. Sadly, the domestic violence pandemic will continue in various forms, from physical to psychological, economic, cybernetic, social, sexual, or spiritual abuse.

To mark this context, Cheil | Centrade launched the 'Some masks remain' campaign to raise awareness to the domestic abuse pandemic, but also to attract vital donations that can help ANAIS Association, the leading NGO supporting the fight against domestic violence, gather resources to offer victims legal and psychological counselling.

“The campaign is based on real stories from women helped by ANAIS. We recreated several situations with actors and chose the unified perspective of a phone screen for extra authenticity. Thus, the campaign includes a spot in a vertical storytelling format, but also a series of 5 key visuals meant to educate the public about the various forms of domestic violence.” explains Denisa Armașu, Group Creative Director Cheil | Centrade.

“We wish to thank our partners who swiftly came to our aid and moved mountains so that we were able to launch this campaign virtually overnight: the photographer and director Balint Hajagos, production house Almost Ready, and post-production studio Chainsaw Europe.” adds Mihai Gongu, Executive Creative Director Cheil | Centrade.

“We’re grateful to all those who will contribute with a donation on Asociatia-ANAIS.ro, and we invite everyone who knows someone in an abusive relationship to share the posters or the campaign and our film with the hashtag #somemasksremain, so that all those women who suffer in silence know they are not alone and that they can count on us,” continues Carmen Nemes, president of ANAIS Association.