White Ribbon Campaign Uses Viral Content Metaphor to Address Boys' Online Morality

The White Ribbon campaign, created by agency Broken Heart Love Affair, addresses how boys and young men increasingly learn morality through social media. Creative director Marty Hoefkes explains that algorithms, if left unchecked, trend toward hate and misogyny because such content generates the most discussion. The campaign encourages people to re-examine their relationships with algorithms and treat them as something that needs maintenance to stay healthy. The design thinking draws a parallel between viral content and sickness, placing algorithms on a spectrum from healthy to sick. The creative team faced the challenge of balancing a semi-comedic lens with the serious subject matter, ensuring they entertained while treating the topic seriously. Hoefkes notes that emphasizing this balance to clients was crucial throughout the process. A favorite detail is the plosive delivery of “AI slop” in the script. Time constraints were a concern due to the amount of dialogue to memorize between casting and shooting, but actor Ralph MacLeod, playing a doctor, was already off-book at casting. Originally, the team envisioned a pharma-style tone, but director Erica Orofino advocated for a serious drama approach, which they adopted and found much better. The campaign is featured on brokenheartloveaffair.com.