Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

This Agency Used McDonald’s Ad Inventory to Amplify Its PSA About Anti-Asian Hate

IW Group’s campaign launched at the beginning of the pandemic but made a comeback in April

Screenshot of actress Catherine Haena Kim — The 'Wash the Hate' PSA aired on major networks like ABC, NBC and ESPN.Wash the Hate

By Tiffany Moustakas

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As the pandemic began to ramp up last March, multicultural agency IW Group immediately noticed the rise in anti-Asian hate that came along with it and wanted to do something about it.

Within 10 days, the team assembled a task force do some sort of in-person stunt, but when lockdowns prevented that from happening, the agency had to rethink its approach. The result was “Wash the Hate,” a campaign with a dedicated website and a celebrity-fueled PSA bringing attention to racism the Asian

Tiffany Moustakas

Tiffany Moustakas is Adweek's news and engagement editor, where she edits stories, newsletters, assists with social media and writes about the intersection of marketing and culture.

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