NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB)(NASDAQ:VIA), in partnership with the Joyful Heart Foundation founded by actress and advocate Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, today announced its commitment to raise awareness for the NO MORE movement to end domestic violence and sexual assault with a new series of groundbreaking NO MORE PSAs.
The spots, directed by Mariska Hargitay and produced by Viacom Velocity Creative with Executive Vice President Viacom Velocity Creative Niels Schuurmans and Viacom’s social responsibility umbrella Viacommunity, feature a unique collaboration of Viacom celebrities, including: MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway, Spike Ink Master host Dave Navarro, VH1 Big Morning Buzz Live host Nick Lachey, MTV Catfish stars Nev Schulman and Max Joseph, and BET 106 & Park hosts Bow Wow & Keshia Chanté. Additional celebrities in the PSAs include Sophia Bush, Jemima Kirke, Natasha Lyonne, Danny Pino and more. The spots will begin airing across Viacom’s networks this summer.
A rough cut of one of the Viacom NO MORE PSAs can be viewed here.
Viacom President & CEO Philippe Dauman, who will be honored by the Joyful Heart Foundation at its Joyful Revolution Gala tonight, said, “Viacom has a rich history of engaging its audiences to address important issues, whether inspiring teens to complete high school, encouraging people to live healthy lifestyles or helping to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. We champion our unique ability to make a difference through our platforms, and are proud to focus our megaphones on helping to end the stigma, shame and silence of domestic violence and sexual assault.”
“Viacom has taken the courageous and powerful step to join us to say NO MORE to domestic violence and sexual assault," said Mariska Hargitay. "Being part of NO MORE from the beginning has been a great privilege. Society continues to misplace shame and blame on survivors - both women and men. That has to end. NO MORE confronts the myths and excuses that perpetuate domestic violence and sexual assault. I am filled with confidence and renewed determination that, together, we can and will put an end to this violence."
The NO MORE PSA campaign initially launched in September 2013 and was designed to help dispel many of the most common and pervasive myths about sexual assault and domestic violence, and to engage the public in an open dialogue about these important issues. The three-year PSA campaign, developed in partnership with Y&R and world-renowned photographer Timothy White, has been rolling out across the country in local and national markets via print, broadcast, online and outdoor advertising, in movie theaters nationwide, and in major airports and medical facilities.
NO MORE is a public awareness movement focused on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention. Supported by the major national and local organizations working to address these urgent issues, the goal of the NO MORE PSA campaign is to help normalize the conversation and break the social stigma surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault. By increasing visibility and fostering more dialogue, NO MORE seeks to change social norms, improve public policies, and generate more resources dedicated to prevention. More information is available at www.nomore.org.
About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Viacom's media networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, SPIKE, Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA, reach approximately 700 million households worldwide. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio, is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.
About Joyful Heart Foundation
The Joyful Heart Foundation, created by Hargitay, has a mission is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues. For more information, please visit: http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/