KPN, the Netherlands’ leading telecoms brand, has a longstanding commitment to social impact. In 2023, we created #BetterInternet, a platform dedicated to making the internet safer, more socially inclusive, more sustainable.

Telecoms is a saturated market. Differentiating on network quality isn’t easy, so the category risks differentiating on value alone. Instead, we chose to differentiate on values.

We knew from our research that 1 in 2 Dutch consumers were concerned about online safety. For our core family audience, that meant protecting their kids in an unknown world.

We needed to understand what #betterinternet meant to Generation Z.

We created a unique TikTok talkshow: a platform designed to generate authentic customer insight, engaging young people in expertly moderated conversations on topics from cyber-bulling to loneliness.

These conversations identified online shaming as one of the biggest and most urgent issues facing teens online, and one where KPN could make a meaningful difference.

We partnered with MEAU, one of the biggest singers in the Netherlands to spark this vitally important conversation by creating a powerful cultural moment. MEAU called on her fanbase, inviting them to share their experiences of online shaming.

Through a sensitive, and delicately managed process of co-creation, conversation and collaboration, a groundbreaking and heart-wrenching piece of music emerged. Raising online shaming into the spotlight of popular culture.

MEAU created a song, every lyric informed by real stories shared by her young fanbase. Together, we crafted a music video which brought the horrifying consequences of forwarding intimate messages to life and made our insight crystal clear.

The issue isn’t sexting. Sexting is fine. The issue is deciding to forward intimate images without consent, violating a partner’s trust and exposing them to devastating consequences. It can, quite literally, be a matter of life and death.

The talkshow lifted the lid on a world of private pain.

Online shaming left victims devastated, depressed, suicidal. 

“It was as if my world had collapsed”.

Society blames the victims, so they fall silent.

Silence and shame are powerful weapons.

We saw an opportunity to turn them on their head.

There’s nothing shameful about sexting.

What’s shameful is sharing intimate content without consent.

Rather than blame the victim, we would put blame where it belongs:

on those who forward without thinking.

Online shaming is a problem that thrives deep in internet culture.

We needed to raise it to the surface. Encouraging victims, friends, parents and teachers to talk about the problem.

Because the minute they started to talk, we saw the burden of silence and shame start to shift.

We often say our work sparked a conversation; in this case we realised that the conversation itself could be life-saving.

“A Piece of Me” told a chilling story with integrity and authenticity.

We started in the real world. Meau interviewed victims of online shaming whose stories inspired her.

We cast first-time actors, who built chemistry through rehearsal and improvisation. So everyone could see themselves, friends, the nice kid next door in the story….

Following a music release, rather than conventional media plan, we launched the track on major streaming platforms and digital stores. Content was shared on MEAU’s social channels, with the music video premiering on YouTube. We further promoted through PR, radio, live performances, and interviews.

Four days after release, branded cutdowns appeared in cinemas, on TV and online and KPN aired a mini-documentary featuring MEAU’s interviews with victims.

Following its profound impact in the Netherlands, the song was rerecorded in English, set to the same powerful video, to spark a global conversation and protect vulnerable young people worldwide.

“A Piece of Me” created a powerful cultural movement, achieving extraordinary scale in a country of only 17.7m people.

● A gold record

● +10M streams

● No.2 trending video on YouTube

● 500+ covers

● 28M organic views

● 202M PR impressions

We changed the conversation:

● +183% uplift in conversations on online shaming, focused on thinking before you forward

● Hundreds of schools added our content to the curriculum

We changed behaviour:

● Charity partners saw average traffic uplifts of +119%

We changed brand perceptions:

● Brand consideration +9%

● Associations with online safety +19%

● Trust +16%

● “A brand that creates societal impact” + 16%

We changed the law:

● On March 19th the Dutch Sexual Crimes Act was passed, making it illegal to share intimate content without consent.