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The challenge: Cyber-bullying is a growing problem. Suicide is now the #2 cause of deaths among adolescents in Canada. Because it happens online and often out of sight the topic only seems to be discussed after a tragedy happens. How do we get people talking without the impetus of a shocking news story.

The objectives: To raise awareness around cyberbullying and offer resources for parents and kids to deal with the issue.

The strategy: In the crowded online space we needed to create a shareable piece of content around a subject that many people struggle to talk about. With a budget of only $250 we needed to find a way to an upsetting topic get people talking and sharing.

The execution: Using the popularity of the Jimmy Kimmel Show’s “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” YouTube segments, we created a parody video that replaced the celebrities with regular kids reading the mean things people said about them online. Then we launched the video the same week President Barack Obama was scheduled to appear in the late night Sketch.

“Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” is one of (talk show host) Jimmy Kimmel’s most popular sketches, the videos rack up millions of views online. We launched the same week President Barack Obama was scheduled to appear on the show.

The video works as a misdirect. Viewers are drawn in by the cache of “reading mean tweets”, then as the video continues the kids become more affected and we reveal of the message: “cyberbullying is no joke”.

This arc gave the piece of content a shareable appeal. When shared, the next viewer will have the same journey.

There was a 8000% increase in web traffic to canadiansafeschools.com

The video received over 2.5 Million views on YouTube in less than a week.

The campaign to date has received over 200 million earned media impressions.

The video was trending in both the #1 and #2 spots on BuzzFeed at the same time.

The video and The Canadian Safe School Network received news coverage from TIME, MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Today’s Parent, ABC News, Elle Magazine, Fox News, Seventeen Magazine, Upworthy, AOL, CBC News, CTV News, The Globe And Mail, The Toronto Star, Cosmopolitan, ESPN, Adweek, Fast Company, Creativity Online and more.

The entry is a parody of the popular online series of YouTube videos ‘Celebrities Read Mean Tweets”. It is presented to the viewer as entertainment to be viewed and enjoyed, complete with intro graphics and a laugh track. The integration of the brand comes as the viewer follows along with the arc of the story. The brand is revealed in the final moments of the video, weaving into, and solidifying the message of the spot.