This spot opens like a beauty product demo as we see a woman applying a skin creme to her face on “day one.” The twist is that she starts out with a perfect complexion and as we move through subsequent days, the creme makes her face look progressively worse, with breakouts of acne and what look like open sores. Turns out the label on the beauty product jar is marked “Racism.” A voiceover relates, “The more you apply it, the uglier you get.”
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi David Nobay, creative director; Tim Hall, copywriter; Noah Reagan, art director; Karen Bryson, producer. Production Company: 8 Commercials Tim Gibbs, director (who�s represented in the U.S. by Mirror Films, Hollywood); Mike Vanderfield, executive producer/producer; Graeme Wood, DP. Editorial: Post Office, Sydney Peter Barton, editor Postproduction: Post Modern,the LaB sydney Drew Downes, online editor,Ben Eagleton, colorist Audio: Nylon Studios Simon Lister, audio mixer
The Best Work You May Never See: White Ribbon, Bensimon Byrne, Director Angie Bird Introduce Us To “My Friend, Max Hate”
White Ribbon has launched its “My Friend, Max Hate” campaign in Canada featuring this public service film that follows the journey of a young, isolated boy who becomes influenced by a misogynistic online puppet, “Max Hate.” The PSA reveals how online figures in the manosphere--a network of online communities promoting hateful, misogynistic rhetoric which fuels attitudes among young men and boys that contribute to gender-based violence.
“It’s alarming to see the growing impact of the manosphere and how they are conditioning vulnerable populations such as teens, particularly young men,” said Humberto Carolo, White Ribbon CEO. “These misogynistic online groups have existed for years, but their influence has grown under controversial figures, driving an increase in gender-based violence. With the My Friend, Max Hate campaign, our goal is to expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”
Launching two weeks before Safer Internet Day (February 11), the campaign--from Toronto agency Bensimon Byrne--underscores the importance of online safety and protecting youth through clear content boundaries.
White Ribbon is creating an online resource hub that educates individuals on how to recognize harmful online groups and provides support for young men and boys seeking to escape. Additionally, the campaign will launch a TikTok account, @max_hate_, featuring the PSA ‘My Friend, Max Hate’ puppet to expose how these figures gain influence and spread hate in a space that reaches those most influenced, young men.
The PSA was directed by Angie Bird via Toronto-based Westside Studio.
Now in its 34th year, White Ribbon... Read More