REWORD

Silver Spike

Case Film

Presentation Image

TitleREWORD
BrandHEADSPACE
Product / ServiceREWORD
CategoryC01. Use of Digital Platforms
EntrantLEO BURNETT MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation LEO BURNETT MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Media STARCOM MEDIAVEST GROUP Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
PR INSIDEOUT Crows Nest, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Josh Popow Leo Burnett Melbourne Social Media Manager
Eric Lay Leo Burnett Melbourne Digital Designer
Matt Cahill Leo Burnett Melbourne Motion Graphics/Digital Designer
Michael Richardson Leo Burnett Melbourne Senior Front-end Developer
Ken Chen Leo Burnett Melbourne Senior Developer
Jodie Walker Leo Burnett Melbourne Front-end Developer
Joshua Armstrong Leo Burnett Melbourne Front-end Developer
Nick Hayden Leo Burnett Melbourne Back-end Developer
Monica Lewin Leo Burnett Melbourne Group Account Director & Strategic Planner
Lauralee Cuzner Leo Burnett Melbourne Account Director
Suzi Williamson Leo Burnett Melbourne Account Manager
Suzi Williamson Leo Burnett Melbourne Account Manager
Ee-Lyn Law Leo Burnett Melbourne Digital Producer
Johnson Diep Leo Burnett Melbourne Designer
Aaron Farrugia Studio Pancho Director of Photography
Jason Williams Leo Burnett Melbourne Chief Creative Officer
Cinnamon Darvall Leo Burnett Melbourne Senior Agency Producer
Ilona Janashvili Leo Burnett Melbourne Director of Integrated Strategy
Tim Shelley Leo Burnett Melbourne Associate Digital Creative Director
Nicole Ross  Leo Burnett Melbourne Head of Digital
Maria Borowski Leo Burnett Melbourne Agency Producer
Chris Steele Leo Burnett Melbourne Head of Social
Kaelene Morton Leo Burnett Melbourne Production Manager
Brandon Rice Leo Burnett Melbourne Social Creative
Matt Peters Leo Burnett Melbourne Social Creative
Edward Heckes Leo Burnett Melbourne Creative
Daniel Sparkes Leo Burnett Melbourne Creative
Daniel Sparkes Leo Burnett Melbourne Creative
Emily Gould Leo Burnett Melbourne Strategy Planner
Luke Torney Leo Burnett Melbourne Technical Director

The Campaign

We created Reword, a real-time alert for online bullying. Reword is an educational tool that helps develop young people’s moral compass when they become active on social media. A simple JavaScript tool that integrates with social and messaging platforms, Reword uses a custom lexicon database to identify strings of words that form millions of potential insult combinations. As a child types, regex matching cross-references the database to identify abusive patterns, scanning for insulting phrases and bullying sentiment, not just swearing. When a pattern is found, the child is alerted with a red strikethrough, instantly interrupting behaviour and prompting them to reconsider their words. Children can become co-authors by adding their own bullying terms, helping Reword recognise evolving language and slang. Reword not only protects potential victims, but also stops children from becoming bullies themselves. Don’t bully, and the red line will never appear.

Creative Execution

After a successful pilot program, we launched our in-school program and made Reword available online as a free Google Chrome extension. To engage Protectors emotionally, we ran an integrated campaign across outdoor, print, TV, display, social media and PR. Featuring real kids, it highlighted the problem and presented Reword as a solution. The campaign asked Protectors to install the tool at home and in schools, and to show their support and raise awareness by sharing. We targeted youth via the in-school program and on social media, inviting them to directly interact with the tool and contribute new insults, growing the tool’s intelligence and helping it recognise evolving language. Being co-authors impelled them to take a stand against cyberbullying and promote Reword among their friends, extending the tool’s reach. We directed our audience to our website, where they could explore videos; install the tool; and contribute to the lexicon.

Results

The first six weeks showed distinct impact on behaviour: 84% of insults detected were reworded. Bullying behaviour per user dropped an incredible 67%. In the same period, Reword was introduced to over 260 schools nationwide and installed on more than 150,000 computers. Our call to action resonated, generating over 20,000 insult submissions from young people, creating millions of new combinations. Reword has clear universal relevance, garnering global coverage on CNN, Wired and Mashable and personal messages from around the world. Now, with public support from local and federal governments and expansion to a mobile application, Headspace is committed to implementing Reword in every school nationwide. First six weeks: • 150,000+ installs • 20,0000+ contributed insults • 84% of insults reworded • 67% reduction in bullying behaviour per user • 150 million media impressions By promoting co-creation, Reword is changing online bullying behaviour, creating a new generation that respects each other – online and in real life.

Cyberbullying is quickly becoming one of society’s most serious problems, creating millions of victims around the world. Reword is a tool activating change within the culture of online bullying by stopping the behaviour before it happens. Acting as a real-time alert, Reword identifies hurtful words, then prompts young people to reconsider their message or post. Through social and an in-school program, young people directly interacted with the tool and were invited to collaborate by adding their own bullying words and phrases, helping grow its intelligence. This co-authorship gave them ownership over Reword, encouraging them to promote it among their friends.

Two insights drove our strategy: 1. Current anti-bullying efforts focus on reporting abuse after the fact. By then, the damage is already done. Takeout: Stop bullying behaviour before it happens. 2. Our research told us that young people’s moral compass doesn’t fully develop until adulthood. Their impulsive behaviour can lead to unintended harm. Takeout: Create an educational tool to help develop children’s moral compass. Goal: Protect potential victims and protect children from becoming bullies themselves. During prototype development, we collaborated with Headspace Youth Mental Health Foundation and young people to refine usability and messaging. Testing showed 79% of youth were willing to reword when prompted. We targeted “Protectors”– parents and educators – to install the software at home and in schools. We targeted young people separately, encouraging uptake and acceptance by designing the tool so they can co-author it, giving them ownership and empowering them to take a stand against cyberbullying.

Links

Website URL