Winner: Office Depot Foundation – Be The Difference. Speak Up Against Bullying!
A rare opportunity was presented to the Office Depot Foundation late last spring: Office Depot announced a partnership with the phenomenally successful British boy band One Direction, through which a line of branded school supplies would be sold in Office Depot stores prior to the start of the school year. Office Depot pledged to give $1 million from the sale of these products to the Office Depot Foundation for the creation of an anti-bullying educational campaign, which was to be launched in the fall.
The critical need for the program is clearly evident. Research shows that an increasing number of fourth through eighth graders report being victims of bullying. An estimated 160,000 students skip school every day to avoid being bullied, while 40% of middle schoolers believe that violence is increasing at their schools - and they don't feel safe.
The "Be The Difference. Speak Up Against Bullying!" Program is promoted on an ongoing basis by Office Depot through its social media channels, as well as by the Office Depot Foundation through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Foundation created a dedicated page on its website to house information about the program, anti-bullying tips for students and parents, and a video introducing Brooks Gibbs as the speaker for middle schools. The entire program is being supported by a national PR campaign managed by JKG Group.
Honorable Mentions:
- Covanta Energy – Rx4 Safety: Protecting People and the Environment from the Improper Disposal of Drugs
- Fannie Mae Delivers Impact to Local Communities with 7 Days to Serve
- Havas Worldwide – The Airfood Project
- Ogilvy Public Relations and Bristol-Myers Squibb - Men and Melanoma: Putting Excuses Aside
- The Quaker Oats Company - Quaker Helps Fuel Healthy Families with Fuel Up to Play 60