Yard NYC CEO and Co-Founder Ruth Bernstein had to act when, following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, pro-life candidates in the 2022 midterm elections promised new anti-abortion laws.
Amid a shaky economy in which marketers were slashing budgets and playing it safe, Bernstein dedicated her agency’s resources to create “Stop the Horror”—an initiative dedicated to “fighting for the reproductive rights of all those who can become pregnant.”
The digital and out-of-home campaign reimagined six classic horror films, plastering posters titled “The Texas Female Massacre” and “Rosemary’s Abortion” across New York, receiving millions of media impressions in all 50 states. Most importantly, voters defeated several anti-abortion amendments in the midterms.
“As a female-led organization, we didn’t have a choice,” Bernstein said. “This was something we all felt powerfully and strongly about. So, we just did it. The brand that the agency is built on is brains, beauty and bravery. If we can’t use that to further what we care about, then why be here at all?”
Bernstein and Yard NYC have always championed boldness and inclusivity, and it paid off in a 115% lift in revenue since the third quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, 86% of employees identify as female, people of color or LGBTQ+.
