In Westfield Parramatta, Sydney, July 6-12, people could erase bullying – literally. Pilot Pen and youth anti-bullying organisation, Project Rockit, invited them to erase negative messages on an interactive Erase Bullying Wall, using Pilot FriXion pens and replace them with words of encouragement, physically bringing the idea of erasing and rewriting to life. Also included were activities including a writing corner and commitment card exercise designed to encourage bravery, self-expression and connection among attendees.

The activation launched Brave Beginnings, a new initiative aimed at helping erase bullying and giving young Australians the confidence to move forward from negative experiences and try again, with Omnicom Media Content leading experiential and FleishmanHillard leading PR. The campaign included national research, talent engagement and a consumer activation, featuring a series of interactive experiences designed to encourage bravery, self-expression and connection among young Australians. It begins a long-term partnership between Pilot and Project Rockit, that will continue through events, activities and practical resources supporting young Australians.

The campaign was shaped by research commissioned by Pilot, that found 71.85% of Australians have avoided trying something new because of fear of failure, while 62.74% regret not starting something sooner because of self-doubt. Lack of confidence emerged as the biggest barrier holding Australians back (57.38%), followed by fear of judgement or embarrassment (38.95%) and past experiences of bullying or criticism (28.5%). Almost nine in 10 Australians (87.51%) also believe experiences of bullying or criticism in childhood can impact confidence later in life.

So Brave Beginnings developed a focus on giving people the confidence to move forward from negative experiences and try again, with the idea connecting directly to PILOT’s FriXion erasable pen technology, which allows people to write, erase and try again without damaging the paper.

Paul Astbury, managing director at PILOT Pen Australia, stated,“PILOT’s FriXion brand has always been about giving people the confidence to write, erase and try again. Brave Beginnings transformed that product truth into a human truth. By partnering with PROJECT ROCKIT, we wanted to help inspire young Australians to see that mistakes, setbacks and even the impact of bullying don’t have to define what comes next. It’s an initiative that authentically connects what our brand does with what our brand believes.”

Television presenter, Brooke Boney, was enlisted to support the campaign, drawing on her own experiences of bullying and public criticism to help bring the message to life and reach audiences nationally.

Hannah Cartledge, senior producer at OM Content, commented, “From the outset, our ambition was to create something that went beyond a traditional brand activation. By bringing Pilot and Project Rockit together around a shared purpose, we created an experience designed to encourage self-expression and spark meaningful conversations among young people.

“A key focus was finding an authentic role for PILOT’s FriXion product within the experience, while drawing on the expertise of teams across the wider Omnicom business to extend the partnership beyond a single event and physical location. Ultimately, we created an initiative that resonated with audiences far beyond the activation itself.”