Harassment toward female-identifying gamers is rampant online, and while the gaming industry has introduced guidelines and measures to help protect everyone who plays, evidence makes it clear that more needs to be done to change the game for good. Maybelline New York shows research shows that 76% of female-identifying gamers have experienced or observed harassment or offensive behaviour while online gaming*, and 71% of male gamers who witness abuse in gaming just ignore it*. 59% of female-identifying gamers leave the game they are playing to get away from offensive or discriminatory behaviour*.
A new social experiment, Under the Avatar, by HERO Australian and Maybelline New York aims to change toxic behaviour directed towards female-identifying gamers. In the experiment, filmed by Photoplay director, Jasmin Tarasin, two females experience alarming verbal abuse while in a multiplayer game. Their unknowing friends’ reactions are shown as they witness the harassment, not knowing how they can help. The initiative acts as a reminder that there is a real person on the other side of the game, and abuse can target a friend, partner, sister or daughter.
Under the Avatar follows the success of its highly awarded Through Their Eyes campaign by Maybelline New York that reached almost 450M impressions globally last year, and attracted interest from United Nations Women who stated it was “…difficult to watch, but shows we have a long way to go”. In this campaign, male gamers were put in the firing line of verbal abuse and harassment, by using tech to change their voices and insert them into a multiplayer game appearing as the opposite sex. Its astounding display of abuse highlighted an urgent need to take further action.
“We wanted to generate more than just empathy for those suffering from toxic abuse in the gaming world. We wanted anyone thinking that this behaviour is tolerable to realise that there is a real human behind the avatar, and to give people the tools to stand up to online abuse,” stated Maybelline New York, ANZ marketing director Melanie Bower.
HERO executive creative director, Shane Geffen, added, “The mindset towards verbal abuse in the gaming world is proving difficult to shift, despite the large reach of the first campaign and concerted efforts by others to change the game. For this campaign we tried a different approach, to show gamers who they are really hurting, real human beings that are family, partners and friends.”
Under the Avatar continues the partnership with youth mental health organisation, ReachOut (AU), and adds Youthline (NZ) as part of its long-standing Brave Together global mental health initiatives.
*Bastion Insights Maybelline Online Gamer Experiences Report (2023)
Credits:
Client: Maybelline New York (L’Oréal Group)
Marketing Director: Melanie Bower, Alexandra Shadbolt
Head of Digital & Comms: Alana Pozzebon
Brand Business Lead: Adele Courgenay
Brand Engagement Manager: Hannah Lapedota
Brand Manager (Eye): Scott da Silva
Digital Brand Manager: Dawid Zastawnik
Creative Agency: HERO
Executive Creative Director: Shane Geffen
Creative Director: Andrew Woodhead
Associate Creative Director: Lee Phillips
Head of Strategy: Tallon Mason-Kaine
Art Director: Charlotte Smith, Johnathan Akiki
Copywriter: Will Fox
Client Partner: Jane Callister
Account Director: Lauren Phillips
Account Manager: Mia Shadbolt
Senior Producer: Sheridan Wadelton, Jeff Edwards
Production: Photoplay Films
Director: Jasmin Tarasin
Executive Producers & Producers: Emma Thompson & Florence Tourbier
DoP: Jack Saltmiras
Editor: Lucy McCullum
Colourist: Yanni Kronenberg
Online Editor: Tom Hetherington
Sound: Gustos Studios
Sound Design: Colin Simkins
Producer: Brigid Giles-Webb
