Can the language of hate be turned against itself, and transformed into an urgent call to action?
ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. For over 100 years, the nonprofit has pursued its timeless mission of fair and just treatment for all by advocating for civil rights and combating antisemitism and other forms of hate. But our research showed that in recent years ADL’s audiences have lost awareness of the on-the-ground work the organization does in this fight.
With antisemitic incidents at record highs across the U.S., ADL needed to shine a light on the newly reignited threat of hate, highlight its multilateral work against this threat, and renew its call to action and solidarity. We saw the opportunity to create a bold, forceful piece of communication that would seize people’s attention, stop them in their tracks, and inspire them to join ADL’s fight against hate.
Our insight came from realizing that real, personal expressions of hate are more visceral and destructive than thinking of hate as an abstract concept. We saw an opportunity to use real language as our raw material, from hateful online comments to incidents reported by ADL’s annual audit of antisemitism.
The resulting film — titled “Right Now” — raises the alarm on the ever-present threat of hate by using the raw, unfiltered words of hate itself.
Featuring provocative expressions of antisemitism and bigotry, the film underscores what’s at stake in ADL’s fight. The dynamic typography brings the unsettling voices of hate into full view, as shared words connect to pull the eye through a landscape of verbal aggression. These statements are disturbing, caustic, and all too real in modern society. Everything is written in lowercase, in the impromptu way people communicate online and on social media, where sentiments of hate are often at their worst. The statements are punctuated with flashes of jarring, hate-filled photojournalism from around the world, so viewers can see the urgency of the threat as it exists today. And a minimal soundtrack of single piano notes over an angry crowd underscores the venomous barrage.
Then there is a pivot moment, visually and tonally, from the voices of hate to the voice of ADL — and thereby from hate to action. The statements of bias and prejudice transition into statements of ADL’s response to this threat. A series of relevant images convey ADL’s frontline efforts across advocacy, technology, and education, showcasing the organization’s unique breadth of expertise in protecting targeted communities.
Using this contrast in tone to expose — then confront — these poisonous expressions of hate, the film transforms an atmosphere of fear and anger into an anthem of impact and hope.
Global antisemitic incidents are at record highs. In the United States alone there’s been an 893% increase in antisemitic incidents over the last decade. The “Right Now” brand film conveys how ADL is responding to that growing threat. ADL launched the “Right Now” brand film to 7,000 live attendees at its Never Is Now 2025 conference, the world’s largest summit on antisemitism and hate.
We achieved three primary objectives with this brand film:
1.) To inform, by increasing awareness of ADL’s multilateral work combating antisemitism and hate;
2.) To inspire, by connecting viscerally and emotionally with audiences about the urgency of the threat;
3.) And to influence, by offering a clear call to action to join ADL’s fight against hate (engage with ADL’s fight).
