Cartoon Network is taking
up the fight against school
bullying with a comprehensive
multiplatform campaign that
takes dead aim at preventing the
disturbing practice.
Cartoon has teamed with parent
Time Warner Inc. and sister
network CNN to develop public
service announcements featuring
the stars of Cartoon Network’s
popular series, Dude,
What Would Happen. The PSAs
aim to help empower youth to
take action to reduce bullying as
part of the network’s “Stop Bullying,
Speak Up” initiative, according
to network officials.
‘DUDE’ WEIGHS IN
“We think the spots featuring our
talent from Dude will connect
with our audience, and we will
look for further ways to reach our
kids,” said Stuart Snyder, president
and chief operations officer
of Cartoon Network.
“We are hopeful the messages
will be absorbed by our youth
and ultimately impact the overall
prevalence of bullying in this
country.”
Along with bringing awareness
about bullying —approximately
one in four kids are
mentally, physically or verbally
bullied by another youth each
month, according to the Justice
Department — the PSAs direct
young viewers and parents
to visit CartoonNetwork.com
for solution-oriented online resources
developed in coordination
with the network’s recently
established Bullying Prevention
Advisory Board.
The PSAs will also run on Cartoon
Network sister services TNT
and TBS, as well as broadcast
network CW’s website (CWTV.
com) and the network’s companion
social media networks,
according to Cartoon officials.
The spots will also air online
via CNN.com and HLN.com and
on the CNN Airport Network
throughout October as part of
National Bullying Prevention
Awareness Month.
Beyond the Turner-owned network
services, the PSAs will also
run in the lobbies of select AMC,
Cinemark and Regal Entertainment
Group movie theaters nationwide
via integrated media company
NCM Media Networks’ Lobby Entertainment
Network (LEN).
Cartoon Network also has secured
additional print, digital
and in-mall media support.
As part of the initiative, Cartoon
Network last week launched
a dedicated microsite, which features
a “Stop Bullying: Speak
Up” pledge for kids to take; social
network hyperlinks; a digital
bulletin board; community
rewards; and a section devoted
exclusively to educating parents
on bullying prevention.
Also featured on the site will be
anti-bullying tools from such organizations
as the Anti-Defamation
League and Cyber ALLY, an organization
that teaches kids to be an
ally to victims of digital bullying.
CNN PILES ON
CNN added muscle to the campaign
last Friday with a scheduled
primetime special, Bullying:
No Escape: An Anderson
Cooper 360° Special Report with
People and Cartoon Network.
Also last Friday, People magazine
was expected to launch, in
its Oct. 18 issue, a special bullying
package, according to the network.
Cartoon Network’s Stop Bullying,
Speak Up campaign debuts
in the midst of several high-profile cases of young people being
seriously injured or committing
suicide after being bullied.
Snyder said the network’s antibullying
campaign will continue
well beyond National Bullying
Month with new programming
and additional materials targeting
the subject.
