You know how moms are. They’re the same all over the world.

That was the insight, and it was the perfect way in. Because the moment you establish that universal truth, the contrast hits that much harder. Moms everywhere do their best to protect and provide for their children. But in the forgotten corners of the world, their best was never good enough.

Moms was the first direct-response TV spot I ever wrote, and I’m still immensely proud of it. Not because of the craft, but because of the cause. The spot was built to move people from sympathy to action, and it did that by closing with a single, simple truth: they can’t put an end to their child’s suffering. But you can.