The internet is 24/7, and any Better Internet Campaign engagement ought to likewise be ever-present, all the time. That’s exactly what we did for 2018’s Safer Internet Day and the Media Literacy Council’s (MLC) Better Internet Campaign. The MLC initiative to promote safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology went from being an annual affair, to a 365-day, year-long engagement and education campaign that went everywhere with 360-degree communications – all helmed by an entertaining ensemble of influencers.
Digital technology and the internet are inextricably entwined in all of our lives, whether we’re a school-going youth who lives as much online as off, or a more senior individual. This also means that there’s always a tremendous amount of information, sometimes too much, out there for us. And, a growing amount of such content could well be fake, even malicious. Our challenge was to cut through the clutter, get our messages across and along the way, get more people to get the internet to a better place than it was before.
It was a rally to all. To be safe against scams and such, be smart about fake news and falsehoods, and be kind to one another online. These were anchored throughout by the campaign slogan: “Check please!”, which served as a snappy and easy mnemonic. If you’re doubtful, worried, or tempted to be mean online, please check either the facts, a credible authority, or your own behaviour. Creatively, we fronted this charge with the terrific trio of influencers – J, Jai Kishan, Benjamin Zhong and Sofia Dendroff. (In the tiniest possible way.)
First up, a series of five comedy clips was created, each playing up a be safe, be smart or be kind message. These fun little videos were loaded with antics to entertain viewers, using laughter as a way-in to introduce quick tips for a better internet. We launched the videos in stages to work as openers to ten-week seasons of safer internet-related content and engagement. Next, traditional and digital buys kept messages out there and top-of-mind, complemented by on-ground road shows, online and printed tips and guides, and naturally, a sustained social media push. It all came together to form an omni-channel campaign designed to entertain, educate and engage.
To play up what’s happening on our screens, we shrank our three influencers into little minions. They would scurry and ham it up on various devices, dramatizing cyberbullying, scams and fake news; entertaining to educate via a check-please checklist on how to be safe, be smart, and be kind online. In a further twist, we also showed our influencers having their own better internet journey. They start in initial videos as baddies, before themselves turning over a new leaf to become goodies advocating a safer internet.
