There have been many campaigns around gender-based violence. There has become a sameness to the stories. But Bensimon Byrne’s will surprise and shock you with both its new perspective on the problem and how that perspective is presented. No sameness here. The campaign, My Friend, Max Hate, delivers max impact.
The three-minute PSA for White Ribbon features a malevolent, misogynistic online puppet, Max Hate, who influences a young, isolated boy. The story reveals how online figures in the manosphere – a network of online communities promoting hateful, misogynistic rhetoric – groom young men and boys, fuelling attitudes that contribute to gender-based violence.
Joseph Bonnici, CCO at Bensimon Byrne, commented, “Each year, in partnership with White Ribbon, we focus on a culturally relevant aspect of the fight against gender-based violence, adapting our approach to address it head-on. This year, we’ve turned our attention to the alarming rise of unchecked misogyny spread by male influencers in the manosphere—a growing online community that promotes anti-feminism, misogyny, and harmful ideas about women. Their messages are pervasive, aggressive, and dangerously influential, particularly for young boys.
To combat this, we created Max Hate, a fictional influencer designed to expose how these ideologies spread and educate parents about their insidious impact. Many parents are unaware of the manosphere and its tactics, often dismissing the possibility that their sons could be influenced. But these platforms use subtle and manipulative methods to lure boys into adopting hateful behaviours and attitudes…By exposing the inner workings of this toxic ecosystem, the campaign aims to foster awareness and empower families to challenge and counteract these harmful narratives.”
“It’s alarming to see the growing impact of the manosphere and how they are conditioning vulnerable populations such as teens, particularly young men,” added Humberto Carolo, White Ribbon chief executive officer. “These misogynistic online groups have existed for years, but their influence has grown under controversial figures, driving an increase in gender-based violence. With the My Friend, Max Hate campaign, our goal is to expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”
The spot launched on January 30, two weeks before Safer Internet Day (February 11), emphasising the critical need to address harmful ideologies early on. The campaign draws attention to the surge in online polarisation and hate speech, and aims to educate, promote respect, and tackle the dangerous ideologies that drive gender-based violence today. It underscores the importance of online safety and protecting youth through clear content boundaries.
White Ribbon is also creating an online resource hub that educates individuals on how to recognise harmful online groups and provides support for young men and boys seeking to escape.
Additionally, the campaign will launch a TikTok account, @max_hate_, featuring My Friend, Max Hate’s puppet, to expose how these figures gain influence and spread hate in a space that reaches those most influenced, young men.
“Young men are a vulnerable population and easily susceptible to hateful messages they are exposed to online, and I have seen it first-hand,” commented Aiden, a White Ribbon Youth Advocate. “That’s why campaigns like this are important. Harmful ideologies contribute to gender-basedviolence, and it’s critical to address these dangers before they spread and affect others.”
Credits:
Client: White Ribbon
Executive Director: Humberto Carolo
Senior Program Manager: Louise Moyer
Director of Marketing and Communications: David Garzon
Agency: Bensimon Byrne
Chief Creative Officer: Joseph Bonnici
Creative Directors: Debbie Chan & David Mueller
Associate Creative Director: Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez
Art Director: Zoe Gray
Writer: Nate Houseley
Agency Producer: Michelle Pilling
Business Lead: Pat Martini
Project Manager: Oliver Glover
Social Campaign: Marco Libretti
PR: Narrative XPR
Account Director: Cole Douglas
Senior Account Manager: Samantha Sartor
Account Managers: Kanishka Punjabi & Aaron Short
Production Company: Westside Studio
Director: Angie Bird
Director of Photography: Mat Barkley
Executive Producer: Amanda Morrison
Line Producer: Kailey Shanque
Editorial Company: Rooster Editorial
Editor: Michelle Czuker
Producer: Sam McLaren
Assistant Editor: Matt Blakely
Colour & VFX: Alter Ego
Senior Colourist: Eric Whipp
Creative Supervisor & Senior VFX Artist: David Whiteson
VFX Set Supervisor & Lead Artist: Saba Zahir
VFX Artists: Eric Perrella & Sebastian Boros
CG Supervisor: Leonardo Silva
Senior CG Artist: Jerry Corda-Stanley
3D Artist: Mike Waldrum
VFX Assistant: Alyssa Glousher
Colour Assistant: Ben Otten
Executive Producer: Hilda Pereira
Senior Producer: Andrew Tavares
Audio House: Berkeley Inc.
Casting: Jigsaw
