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Modern Witch Trials

A behavior change campaign addressing the weaponization of social media and the growing problem of cancel culture.

15M+

Impressions

Total Impressions

5M+

Video Views

Total Video Views

1M+

Engagements

Total Engagement

100K+

Likes

Social Media Likes

“We love the work Cybersmile have done to date, and we are extremely proud to have been part of their latest campaign, to tackle this very complex and polarising issue, and bring this to life in a compelling way.”

Tom GhidenManaging Director, JOAN London

Overview

We teamed up with creative agency JOAN London and Oscar-nominated producer Darren Aronofsky's film production company Chromista to launch a campaign entitled "Modern Witch Trials" that addressed the weaponization of social media and the harmful effects of so-called cancel culture.

To mark the launch of the campaign, a short film directed by Emmy Award nominee and Venice Film Festival winner Eliza McNitt was released on social media. The film demonstrated how historical mob justice has now been upgraded, from 17th-century witch hunts with burning torches in Salem to online mobs weaponizing the power of the internet and social media with the intention of destroying people's lives.

Forty second cinema spots, in partnership with Pearl & Dean, also ran at multiplex chains across the UK at landmark locations, including in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, and Brighton.

The campaign launch reached millions of internet users within the space of just 7 days and received media coverage in a wide range of advertising publications. The campaign was promoted by Cybersmile ambassadors, content creators, and public figures, including the likes of William Shatner, Jordan Henderson, and Katie Cassidy, to name a few.

Impact Summary

  • Reached 15M+ people with campaign message
  • Exceeded 5M+ campaign video views
  • Utilized celebrities for maximum social and cultural impact
  • Encouraged meaningful conversation around mob harassment
  • Achieved at least one award nomination or win

Awards & Nominations

Our Modern Witch Trials campaign won a total of eleven awards: