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The same organization that brought dildos to the University of Texas at Austin to protest guns on college campuses has released a new piece of satire, an advertisement for “student body armor.”
The video, published Tuesday, appears innocent for the first few seconds, but then goes on to identify the nine states that have approved some form of law that allows firearms on campuses. Those states are Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
A narrator describes the product: body armor woven into traditional college swag, sweatshirts and T-shirts -- and a hooded sweatshirt, to protect from “head shots.”
Student body armor was actually manufactured for the campaign, a partnership between Cocks Not Glocks, a grassroots effort from University of Texas alumna Jessica Jin, and New York-based advertising firm FCB New York. A dozen garments were created, and a pop-up shop was constructed near the University of Texas campus, where students’ reactions were filmed as they tried on the gear.
Jin said in an interview that engaging with students on this issue can be difficult, and so an element of humor helps.
Ari Halper, chief creative officer at FCB New York, pointed to the success of shows like The Daily Show, in which students often receive their news packaged in a funny way.
Jin created Cocks Not Clocks to illustrate the absurdity and show how uncomfortable people can be around a sex toy -- the same reaction a gun should elicit.
A fake website, studentbodyarmor.com, appears to allow you to purchase the items, one of which is being sold for $29,999.99. It means to reroute you to contact your lawmaker about campus carry laws, Halper said. Halper declined to discuss how much money had been poured into the campaign.
“This matters to me,” Jin said.
