Visual Literacy Project

In early 2015 a photo of a dress went viral as people disputed over whether the dress was white and gold or blue and black. Overnight this illusion became an internet sensation and everyone knew “the dress”. In March, The Salvation Army came out with an ad to raise awareness for domestic abuse, featuring the dress and a beaten woman.

The advertisement shows a woman lying on the ground wearing the white and gold dress. She is covered in bruises and cuts on her face, legs and feet. She is staring directly into the camera and is the focal point of the image. The heading next to her plays on the illusion of “the dress” saying “Why is it so hard to see black and blue?”. The next line is a statistic about domestic violence- “ The only illusion is if you think it was her choice. One in six women are victims of abuse. Stop abuse against women”.

At first glance this advertisement is just a statement against domestic violence. It is a play on words, the black and blue it is referring to is not the color of the dress but the bruises and scars women bear from domestic violence. Victims of domestic abuse tend to hide their bruises and scars, whether it be out of fear, shame or embarrassment, making it difficult to know when someone is being abused. She is lying on the ground, showing how vulnerable she is, almost as if she was pushed down; as opposed to standing tall and confident. The way she stares directly at the camera with such a blank expression leaves an impression on the audience because she is not showing emotion and seems to be hiding any sign of being in pain. Looking at the deeper meaning of the image, it could also be a statement about the shallow nature of society and social media. It seems ridiculous that something as silly as a dress went viral overnight and was all anyone could talk about the next day; but more serious issues such as domestic violence are forgotten.