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Get a box of tissues ready, because this PSA is about to tug, no, yank at your heartstrings.
Filmed on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica on Valentine's Day, the setup is a giant x-ray screen from which two people stand behind and you see them hold hands, embrace, and kiss. Seeing them as mere skeletons removes any preconceived notions you have about each individual before they step out and reveal themselves.
Surprise! It was two people of the same gender kissing! Surprise! It's an interracial couple! Surprise! That kid has two dads! Surprise! A Jew and an Muslim are best friends! "Love is love," as one of the subjects says in voiceover at the end.
The video is a part of the Ad Council's Love Has No Labels campaign, aimed at making people challenge biases and snap judgments they hold against others, even subconsciously. "As much progress as we've made as a country, we absolutely still have more work to do," Ad Council CEO Lisa Sherman told AdWeek.
"I think what we have here is one of those moments in time where we have a great idea. There's a huge heart in the culture right now for these causes," she added.
Love Has No Label's websites features an online quiz confronting users with their own biases, and testimonials from people who have experienced prejudice firsthand. The Ad Council has partnered with eight nonprofits for the campaign, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Women's Law Center, AARP, and Muslim Advocates.
