Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick
  • Work
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Expertise
  • #WorkAtWeber
    • Join Our Team
    • Our Values
  • News & Insights
  • Contact
  • 한국어
    • 영어
  • Privacy Policy

Some Cuts Scar, Others Do So Much More

Action Aid UK: "Brutal Cut"

Action Aid is an international charity whose primary aim is to battle poverty and injustice worldwide, particularly among women and girls.

The Challenge

Three million girls in Africa aged 4-12 are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. ActionAid asked us to get more people in the UK talking about this uncomfortable subject and horrific abuse..

The Solution

In the run-up to cutting season, we created a #BrutalCut of our own.

The #BrutalCut That Did Good

Short video messages from Kenyan girls facing the threat of FGM were unexpectedly cut into content by vloggers, influencers and publishers.

#BrutalCut went beyond the web. At noon on launch day, 132 digital screens across the UK were cut, including London’s iconic One Piccadilly, in the first-ever synchronized disruption of outdoor media. Screens at the Latitude music festival and trailers at cinemas were cut too.

#BrutalCut exploded to become social and news currency. What started as a 10-second video shared by social influencers exploded to become social and news currency, covered by the Independent, Teen Vogue, BBC Asian Network and Mashable.

Impact

150 Million People Reached

#BrutalCut led to 1148 conversations on Twitter alone. With minimal budget, this campaign far exceeded our targets and enabled ActionAid to win significant lottery funding to build community safe centers to help protect girls from FGM.

Silver PR Lion & Silver Glass Lion - 2017 Cannes International Festival of Creativity

Gold Pencil: The One Show, Social Influencer Marketing: Influencer Marketing / Multi-Channel

2017 PR Week Global Awards Best Non-Profit Campaign

Weber Shandwick
  • Work
  • About Us
  • #WorkAtWeber
  • News & Insights
  • Contact
  • 한국어
Weber Shandwick’s APAC Intelligence alerts deliver regular updates on Asia Pacific’s many sectors, markets, and developments. Subscribe here..
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 Weber Shandwick. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy & Cookie Policy

This website uses cookies, including third-party cookies, which allow Weber Shandwick to obtain information about your visit to the website. Please click here to learn more about the cookies used on this website and how to change current settings if you do not agree. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.

Privacy & Cookie Policy

Our website uses cookies for various purposes, including to enhance the site’s functionality, and help us understand how you use and interact with the website. To learn more about the cookies used and your choices, please see the Privacy Notice. Please indicate below whether you agree to the use of cookies for the purposes described above:

Yes No