From 2020 to 2021, homotransphobic, sexist, anti-Semitic and ableist attacks in Italy increased by 35% (source: Unar). This is what a research commissioned by ACE highlights: 77% of interviewees claimed they assisted to at least one discriminatory act and the 50% never reacted. The objective of Anti-Hate Campaign was calling each of us to do something concrete to erase the most stubborn dirt: hatred. The initiative created a real anti-hate platform that ran in parallel on multiple channels, generating reactions and raising awareness on this significant issue. The brand platform Anti-Hate Formula has been conceived to have a long-term impact on the communities where ACE operates. Igniting meaning in its brand purpose (uniting by cleanliness) and making it concrete at the same time, the agency is already developing a second wave of this project. Because having cleaner spaces also means living in a freer society.

To raise awareness about the problem, we started from four real stories of discrimination and four offensive graffiti erased thanks to an exclusive formula that can eliminate the hatred: Anti-Hate Formula. The first ACE product that isn’t designed for houses, but to clean up urban spaces. We told the stories of Carlo Maria, who received homophobic insults for dancing with his partner during a party, Elisa, who has always feared summer due to the physical discrimination she suffered, of Mark, who at 15 years old was called a 'dirty Jew' by older boys, and Osayi, who isn’t considered “Italian enough” due to the color of her skin. To give more relevance to the project, we organized four events all around Italy with the aim of involving people to clean up the offensive graffiti that stains our cities' walls, together with Retake volunteers (an association committed to clean up urban spaces).

The insight from which the campaign began is the fact that discrimination is still an too frequent phenomenon in Italy: 1 out of 2 Italians has been a victim of it. 77% have witnessed at least one discriminatory act and 50% have never reacted. Within this research commissioned by ACE, more than 70% of respondents say most of discrimination episodes happen at school and on social media.

The key messages of the campaign are: no discrimination, respect for the community, urban renewal, removing hate, targeting an audience of media, consumers and Institutions.

The Creation and distribution of asset leveraged on two different sides:

-National: Preview to one of the most influential national newspapers; draft and launch of one press release with national data of the research and quotes of parties; Interviews with young protagonists of the campaign and victims of discrimination;

-Local: draft and launch of four press.

We started from four stories of discrimination, those of Carlo Maria, Mark, Elisa and Osayi. And we removed the first four hate graffiti, with a big goal: to involve Italy as a whole in eliminating all the others. To give a concrete significance to the project, four events all over Italy were organized with the aim of involving people to remove together the offensive graffiti that stains our cities' walls, thanks to Retake volunteers (an association committed to clean up urban spaces). More than 2.500 people took part and actively engaged into days of urban spaces' requalification. The project started the 18th September 2023 and currently we are developing the second wave. The aim was to create a real anti-hate platform that ran in parallel on multiple channels, generating reactions and raising awareness. Because living in a cleaner city also means living in a freer society.

Anti-Hate Formula has been hugely welcomed by the whole Italian community: gifted TV spaces, coverage on the most renowned Italian newspapers and engagement of multiple national influencers, obtaining more than 100 millions of impressions and more than 1.4 millions of Earned Media Value. The campaign and its message have been so warmly welcomed that, during the four events linked to the initiative, more than 2.500 people took part and actively engaged into days of urban spaces' requalification.​

And to keep the story from repeating itself, more than 500 Italian schools adhered to the ACE inclusive language course. The brand platform Formula Anti-Hate has been conceived to have a long term impact on the communities where ACE operates. Giving meaning to its brand purpose and making it concrete at the same time, the agency is already developing a second wave of this project.