What Happens When Online Trolls Are Abusive in Real Life

A new PSA seeks to illustrate the seriousness of cyberbullying by taking actual instances of online vitriol and dramatizing them in real public places. In a cafe, man approaches two others sitting together at a table and encourages them to kill themselves for being gay. Two young girls pick on a third, calling her the weirdest kid in school and telling her everyone hates her. In a park, one woman yells at another that all Muslims are terrorists. Titled "In Real Life," the :60 spot was spearheaded by Monica Lewinsky, and created by BBDO, to mark National Bullying Prevention Month in the U.S. Based on posts culled from social media, the ad is a potent demonstration of the awful things people are willing to say about each other—at least when hidden behind a computer—and the general trash heap that is online commentary, if not humanity. But there are bright spots. [kickout id="1"] In each case, a passerby intervenes, coming to the defense of the bullied. And while the on-screen copy at the end reveals that the bullies and their victims were actors, the heroes—and more frustratingly, the other bystanders—were not. In other words, to whatever degree it is staged, it's a sort of how-to video on what to do when you witness someone else being viciously harassed. Don't be one of the people who ignores it. To that end, the campaign also includes a series of original #BeStrong emojis, stickers and GIFs—created with tech-messaging company Snaps and designer Kirsty Munn—that includes multicolored hands grasping each other inside hearts. They can be downloaded as a free keyboard for Apple and Android mobile devices, in the hopes that young people will use them to show support for one another in the face of bullying. In that respect, it also joins other anti-bullying ads in recent years that have sought to provide constructive options for young victims of bullying and the people around them—either by suggesting they turn back to social media for compassion and encouragement from more sympathetic, less idiotic sources, or address the problem through more traditional channels like parents and teachers. "The internet is an incredible tool that has allowed for unprecedented connection and the instant sharing of ideas. But in occupying a disembodied, digital space, we also risk losing our humanity and forgetting that other people are beyond the screen," says Lewinsky, who became infamous in the 1990s as part of the high-profile scandal around her affair with President Bill Clinton, and who reemerged in 2014 as an anti-bullying activist—drawing on her experience to advocate for others. "This campaign is a wakeup call to remind people that our instincts for empathy and caring are still strong," she adds. "We just need to consciously extend that thinking online." CREDITS Client: Monica Lewinsky / Anti-Bullying Campaign: In Real Life Agency: BBDO New York David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer, Global Greg Hahn, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO New York Danilo Boer, Executive Creative Officer Marcos Kothlar, Executive Creative Officer Bianca Guimaraes, Associate Creative Director, Art Director Roberto Danino, Associate Creative Director, Copywriter David Rolfe, Head of Integrated Production Angela Narloch, Executive Producer Rani Zarina Vaz, Head of Music Production Steven Panariello, Account Director Lindsey Cash, Account Director Carrie White, Account Director Nora Stanton, Account Executive Christina Stoddard, Planning Director Dexter Blumenthal, Junior Brand Planner Yin Chung, Engagement Planning Director James Mullally, Communications Planner Lucy Bennett, Influencer Manager Bernadette Naughten, Director of Business Affairs Production Company: BBDO Studios Win Bates, Director Michael Gentile, BBDO Studios Lead AJ Rowe, BBDO Studios Manager Persis Koch, EP Edit: Work Editorial Adam Witten, Editor Jamie Perritt, Producer Color & Finish: The Mill Fergus McCall, Colorist Corey Brown, Colorist Kyle Zemborain, 2D Assist Luis Martin, Producer Mix: Heard City Dan Flosdorf, Audio Mixer Gloria Pitagorsky, EP Music: Human Andy Bloch, Composer and Creative Lead James Dean Wells, EP PR/Communications Firm: Dini von Mueffling Communications Dini von Mueffling - Principal Daniel Lempert - Account Executive