European Anti-Bullying Network (EAN): Case study

Credits & Description:

AGENCY: Ogilvy / Germany
CLIENT: European Anti-Bullying Network (EAN)
ART DIRECTOR: Johannes Jost / Philipp Bertisch
WRITER: Carlos Pabon / Alexandru Petrache
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Dr. Stephan Vogel
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bjoern Kernspeckt / Stese Wagner
PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Rabbicorn Films GmbH / Berlin
nhb Berlin GmbH / Berlin
Storz & Escherich GmbH & Co. KG / Berlin
Studio Funk GmbH & Co. KG / Berlin
DIRECTOR: Georg von Mitzlaff
PRODUCER: Georg Ilse / Rayk Hawlitschek / Alexander Seib / Uta Wittchen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Chasper Senn
EDITOR: Alan Rexroth
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Tim Stuebane / Felix Fenz / Birgit van den Valentyn
TAGS: NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS / CHARITIES / EDUCATION / GOVERNMENT
Synopsis:
One in three European teenagers becomes a victim of bullying at some point. Many suffer from abuse more than once, with the aggression and violence often escalating with each attack. The rise of social media has only worsened the problem.
The European Anti-Bullying Network (EAN) wanted to change teens’ behaviour to stop bullying with a pan-European campaign – and a budget of max. 30,000 Euro. In order to stop bullying, first we had to make teens understand the real consequences of bullying.
As they tend to reject any intervention on this topic from teachers, parents and externals, we had to approach them with their favourite “language” in social media: GIFs. GIFs repeat over and over, unlike bullying, which gets worse and worse with every repetition. Therefore, we developed the “Escalating GIFs”, where the shown bullying action gets worse with every repetition. To be as authentic as possible, we shot the GIFs without actors, but real victims of bullying.
Escalating GIFs were seeded on platforms where teens are looking for entertaining GIFs, like Giphy, 9Gag, Imgur, Facebook, Instagram and others. They linked to websites and helplines across Europe to empower victims and bystanders.
Within six weeks, the campaign was seen by 4.5 million teens. More than 120,000 engaged with the GIFs, liked, commented or shared them. Even Monica Lewinsky, one of the most famous anti-bullying activists, tweeted one of the GIFs. Some posts were shared more than 4,000 times.
Via earned media another 10 million people were reached, adding an equivalent value of 220,000 Euros. All this without a single Cent spent on media, just with a few GIFs.
Strategy
The main target group are teen-students aged 13-19. They spend more than three hours daily on social media primarily for the purpose of entertainment and fun. But social media also amplifies the effect of bullying: 50% of cyber-bullying victims think that being targeted online is worse than face-to-face bullying. The anonymity of bullies leaves the victims often helpless and depressed.

To change teens’ behaviour, we had to make them understand the consequences of bullying. As they tend to reject any intervention on this topic from teachers, parents and external authorities, we had to use teens’ favourite language in social media: GIFs.

The special built “Escalating GIFs” had to look like normal GIFs. Just after three one-to-one repetitions we let the shown bullying escalate.

These GIFs were seeded exactly where teens are looking for entertainment – on platforms, which are well-known homes of GIFs like Giphy, 9gag, Imgur and others.

Relevancy
It’s a different kind of educational entertainment teens are suddenly confronted with: The “Escalating GIFs” have a surprising, eye-opening effect on teens, who are looking for funny, entertaining GIFs on websites, which are well-known homes of GIFs like Giphy, 9gag, Imgur and others.

Outcome
Within six weeks, the campaign was seen by 4.5 million teens. More than 120,000 engaged with the GIFs, liked, commented or shared them. Even Monica Lewinsky, the most famous anti-bullying activist, tweeted one of the GIFs. Some posts were shared more than 4,000 times.

Via earned media another 10 million people were reached, adding an equivalent value of 220,000 Euros. All this without a single Cent spent on media, just with a few GIFs.

Execution
The campaign was launched on the 6th of March, the Anti-Bullying Day in Greece on a national and pan-European level with an ongoing seeding of GIFs on different teen relevant channels. The roll-out in other countries followed and still is.

The GIFs were seeded exactly where teens are looking for entertainment – on platforms, which are well-known homes of GIFs like Giphy, 9gag, Imgur and others.

Locally adapted for one of the 17 partnering NGOs of the European Anti-Bullying Network (EAN) the GIFs were posted additionally on several national social media pages with a focus on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The main flight of the campaign supported by PR on a European level took place from March 6th until April 15th.

Campaign Description
To make teens understand the real consequences of bullying we had to use their favourite language in social media: GIFs. GIFs repeat over and over, unlike bullying, which gets worse and worse with every repetition. Therefore, we developed the “Escalating GIFs”, where the shown bullying action gets worse with every repetition. To be as authentic as possible, we shot the GIFs without actors, but real victims of bullying. Escalating GIFs were seeded exactly where teens are looking for entertaining GIFs. They linked to websites and helplines across Europe to empower victims and bystanders.

Brief With Projected Outcomes
Not relevant for this project.

Audience
Bullying is a direct attack on mental health. As “Escalating GIFs” are tackling bullying and helping victims and bystanders out of their cruel situations, it’s life-changing creativity. It connects with teens, has an eye-opening effect and leads to help websites and hotlines in order to change life to the better.