got2b announces its official partnership with Ditch the Label in light of Anti-Cyberbullying Day (18th June 2021). The partnership cements got2b’s commitment to fighting online bullying and empowering people to live #uncensored lives. At the heart of the partnership lies the instalment of numerous online support and prevention programmes as well as inspiring digital content. Official kick-off is a series of virtual live talks which commence on June 18th.
Cyberbullying is on the rise. Right now, 37% of young people report having been bullied online[1]. This means that almost 2 in 5 teens have received insults, threats and messages that have made them feel scared and unable to be their authentic selves online. The effects of this are felt offline, too, as young people who experience cyberbullying are at a greater risk for both self-harm and suicidal behaviours when compared with their peers who haven’t experienced such bullying.
In order to tackle this global issue, got2b has partnered with Ditch the Label to highlight the prevalence of cyberbullying and to support those who are affected by it. The aim is to prevent such behaviour right at its source: there will be a number of digital assets and resources available such as digital toolkits which will be available for download on got2b’s and Ditch the Label’s social channels and website. The toolkits will include background, information for support services, and tips on how to respond to cyberbullying.
In the long-term, the partnership is an important step to create change by raising awareness about the problems associated with cyberbullying and promoting literacy and skills around the handling of online abuse and resolving related issues.
Empowerment #uncensored: got2b and Ditch the Label want to encourage people to expose online bullying and empower everyone to celebrate their originality without fear of repercussions. This approach is also lived by got2b as a brand in terms of hair and styling: it advocates individual looks, attitude and personality. That's why the got2b portfolio is unisex, diverse and colourful and supports its community to feel inspired and to let their very individual looks speak for themselves - IT'S got2b YOU #uncensored!
Rik Strubel, CMO of Henkel Beauty Care, says “As a global brand, Henkel is committed to tackling social issues. Bullying is a topic that sadly has become omnipresent among young people, especially in the digital sphere. It calls for action from all of us, managers, parents, companies. Tackling cyberbullying is particularly relevant for got2b because of its commitment to freedom of expression. With this campaign, we want our consumers worldwide to feel able to be their most original and authentic selves. Being kind to one another and non-judgmental both off- and online is the foundation of any human interaction and this is very much what we want to convey.”
Talking about the partnership, Liam Hackett, CEO of Ditch the Label, said “together with got2b and in partnership with an entire squad of influencers with powerful stories, we will be standing up to make a real and sizeable difference to the lives of young people globally. We won’t just be talking about the issue we’ll also be launching a series of activities to help prevent cyberbullying and support those affected.”
Ditch the Label is a global and digital-first youth charity, helping young people aged 12-25 to navigate the issues affecting them the most. Whether that’s mental health, bullying, identity, relationships, digital literacy and everything in between. In addition to providing support, Ditch the Label produces industry-leading research, public awareness campaigns and education programmes for schools. Young people can get free and confidential help and support from www.DitchtheLabel.org. They can also report harmful and abusive content on social media directly to Ditch the Label for quick removal at www.DitchtheLabel.org/report/
got2b – the brand that truly shows your personality, originally from the US. got2b is a trendsetter for hair styling and colour products. Since 2001, got2b stands for unique hair styles, individual looks, attitude, and encourages people to celebrate their originality. The got2b range expertly balances product effectiveness with predominantly vegan formulas*. got2b strives to achieve 100% recyclability and features carbon-free black packaging. The got2b portfolio is unisex, diverse and colourful and for everyone who wants to express their individual style. got2b believes no one ought to be held back in doing so: in 2021, got2b launched the #uncensored campaign to raise awareness for (cyber-)bullying and to support those who are affected by it. The aim is to empower people to think before they act and ultimately change their actions for the better, with the goal to make the digital sphere a kinder and safer space for all.
*free from animal derived ingredients
[1] 2019 Cyberbullying Data: Safety Net: Cyberbullying’s Impact on Young People’s Mental Health
got2b is about self-expression. got2b wants to encourage people to celebrate their originality with their style, for them to show their personality, individuality, and attitude - without the fear of repercussions. Therefore, got2b not only wants to raise awareness on the issue of cyberbullying but, more importantly, wants people to engage through activities and act.
Anti-Cyberbullying is close to the heart of got2b, as cyberbullying affects a lot of people and leads them to edit the ways they present themselves to the world. They feel silenced, hide their feelings, and feel unable to express themselves fully, which goes against everything got2b stands for.
We are committed to tackling cyberbullying because it is a global issue that sadly is on the rise. In fact, in a recent global study, 2 out of 5 teens have been bullied online, leading to psychological illness, anxiety and even suicide (Source: Patchin, Ph.D, Justin. "2019 Cyberbullying Data“; Safety Net: Cyberbullying’s Impact on Young People’s Mental Health: Inquiry Report. The Children’s Society.).
Therefore, got2b has partnered with Ditch the Label to amplify and support them in combatting online hate and cyberbullying. The collaboration kicked off on Anti-Cyberbullying Day, (18th June 2021) with a series of virtual live talks and the release of digital toolkit prepared by Ditch the Label.
The partnership is an important step to help raise awareness about the problems associated with cyberbullying. Together, we will use the opportunity to empower our partners and consumers to call out online bullying wherever they see it and raise up anyone who feels unable to live an ‘uncensored’ life due to cyberbullying.
got2b is about self-expression. got2b wants to encourage people to celebrate their originality with their style, for them to show their personality, individuality, and attitude. People can’t live their true lives online if they’re victims of cyberbullying, so got2b wants to empower them to break down the barriers and live life in a truly #uncensored way.
Over the last year, a vast majority of anti-cyberbullying organisations report a notable increase in cyberbullying (Source: DQ Institute). According to these groups, Cyberbullying is on the rise worldwide and has increased over the past year given that everyone has been increasingly living their lives online during the pandemic and self-isolation measures. got2b takes a stand, raises awareness, and does its bit to create a more positive culture online and want to encourage people to celebrate their originality.
got2b wants to encourage people to celebrate their originality with their style, for them to show their personality, individuality, and attitude. That’s why got2b wants to use its voice as a mass market brand. got2b wants to raise awareness on the issue of cyberbullying and to open a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation around this topic.
Raising its voice against cyberbullying is close to got2b’s heart, as cyberbullying affects a lot of people and leads them to edit the ways they present themselves to the world. got2b wants to take the pledge because it is a talking point and a way to open the conversation around and against cyberbullying and hate speech. It’s a way for got2b to take a stand against something that directly affects people and it’s a way to support organisations like DTL to raise awareness for and embolden their own initiatives. It’s a win-win for all. got2b’s aim is to encourage everyone to join in the pledge to live an #uncensored life – without the fear of repercussions.
Living an #uncensored life means living life in a true and authentic way without the fear of repercussions about being judged by others. It means living boldly, being true to yourself, expressing your own originality and style whilst also empowering others to do so, too.
Studies have shown that half of all LGBTQIA people have experienced online harassment in the form of private messages or via social media posts. (Source: 2015 National School Climate Survey.” GLSEN) got2b passionately believes time is overdue to change that. got2b is an inclusive brand and stands for self-expression. got2b encourages people to celebrate their originality with their style, show their personality, individuality, and attitude. Therefore, got2b is committed to helping create a safer environment in which people can express their originality without having to fear repercussions.
As got2b, we will stand up against hate speech and bullying and block or react to comments on our own channels whenever we deem it necessary. We will also take the opportunity to support and back the influencers who are part of our campaign and encourage our community to do so, too. We have a “zero tolerance” policy for online bullying on our channels.
Our influencers will have direct access to a support mentor at our partners Ditch the Label who will be available to provide ad-hoc support, remove abusive social media content and will be there in the unlikely event of any influencers being targeted.
It’s best to refer them to a professional help line or mentor who can provide advice and counsel. (e.g. www.ditchthelabel.org)
Our partner organisation Ditch the Label suggests having a pre-prepared text ready. It could read something like this (you can replace DTL with a locally relevant helpline or advice service):
Thanks for your message. I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through a tough time. I can understand that it must feel really challenging for you at the moment. I'm not actually trained to give advice on this topic, however you can reach out to Ditch the Label for free and confidential help and support. They have tons of resources and a support community where you can ask trained mentors for advice on everything from bullying and mental health to identity and body image. The URL is www.DitchtheLabel.org. Hope it helps.