Following its Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning campaign last year that looked to tackle online shaming, leading Dutch telecommunications company KPN has now set its sights on the subject of online exclusion, releasing another video-led campaign aimed at young people.

These initiatives form part of the company’s #BetterInternet brand platform, which launched last year alongside the previous campaign, and hopes to make the internet a safer and fairer place through raising awareness of key issues online.

The new campaign, titled Everyone Except, explores the serious psychological effects that online bullying and exclusion from groups can bring about, especially in young people who, according to recent studies, are spending an average of 4.1 hours in group chats every single day.

The film follow a teenage boy at school, who is wrongfully accused of ‘snitching’ on his friend, and is then removed from his main group chat and ostracised by his peers. His mental health spirals as he grows increasingly isolated, but a chance to put a stop to the bullying is presented to a close friend, who must choose whether to intervene and show solidarity with the protagonist or do nothing.

In creating the work, KPN reached out to various experts for assistance, such as school safety organisation Stichting School & Veiligheid, online abuse and bullying organisations Helpwanted and Stop Pesten Nu, and Dutch children’s helpline De Kindertelefoon. The brand also collaborated with Dutch singer S10 to provide the soundtrack for the campaign, with the track Buut Vrij featuring lyrics detailing the negative experiences associated with online exclusion.

Speaking on the film’s messaging, Bartho Boer, chief brand, communications & CSR at KPN, says: “Bullying used to be visible mainly in the schoolyard, but it has now shifted to group chats. Online exclusion has become an invisible form of bullying for this generation. The insight that bystanders can make the difference is the creative core of this campaign, and it ties in with our social responsibility to ensure that the internet connects people instead of excluding them.”

Credits:
Creative Agency: Dentsu Creative Amsterdam
Social Media Agency: A Bigger Circle
Production Company: Dark Alley Pictures
Director: Emma Branderhorst
Artist: S10