The first season of the mini docu series titled “Un-filtered," premiered on IGTV and addressed issues of bullying online and off through interviews with young people. The work was part of the brand’s larger Well-Being initiative, bringing light to complex issues that people, particularly young millennials and Gen Z-ers, face on a daily basis.

In the four-video series created for mobile, a group of teens share their experiences with bullying, hate, and negativity, both on and off-line. Touching on topics of body image, disability, race, and sexuality, Un-Filtered is their experiences, in their own words.

This was an amazing opportunity to give kids a platform to be heard. The greatest thing we can do is to create a space that empowers and respects them. A place where kids talk and we listen. This is their platform.

This idea was to give these films an identity that could be carried forward. We wanted the films to look bold and original, and to feel as raw and real as possible. It was less about what we think is cool, and more about what we can do to augment the kids’ voices.

Though the film speaks to all demographics, the strategy was to target the younger generation, particularly millennials and Gen-Zers, to address the issues they face on a daily basis. The real strategy lied behind the casting. With non-traditional casting of diverse young talent, the conversations were real and in-the-moment. The content series stayed relevant to the platform by incorporating many of the tools that Instagram offers -- comment controls, DM reporting, blocking, muting, and more. Using real Instagram user stories as inspiration, the team built an approach the aptly melded the technicality of the platform with the social responsibility and motivation behind the brand.

Using lightness and shade, a mobile format and unpredictable conversations, the films went from funny to heartbreaking to thoughtful to silly. The visuals were designed to enhance the conversations, and let the kids’ stories be the focus. Using a wall of LED lights, we mirrored the emotions of the film with different light tones based on the conversation. Non-traditional casting allowed the team to find real and diverse kids from all walks of life, from all over the world. The film sits in a grey area - a space for both bullies and victims, and a place for genuine and honest conversations.

The four-part content series was an immediate success, with over half a million views on Instagram. Most importantly, the series raised awareness around bullying and hate, and shared unfiltered conversations in times that are often so filtered. The series was renewed for Season 2, which is set to air soon.