A Piece of Me (case study)

In February, the music video for "A Piece of Me" by Dutch singer-songwriter MEAU was launched in the Netherlands, and it has now been released internationally with a new English version, "Piece of My Soul." This campaign, spearheaded by leading Dutch telecommunications provider KPN in collaboration with Dentsu Creative Amsterdam, aims to raise awareness about the issue of online shaming among Gen Z. The campaign carries the crucial message: "Think Twice before you forward."

In the past six months, 33,000 young people in the Netherlands have fallen victim to the non-consensual forwarding of intimate photos. Victims are often unfairly portrayed as perpetrators, leading to severe consequences such as loneliness, depression, and even suicide. To combat this, KPN partnered with MEAU, experts, and victims to create "A Piece of Me," a song and music video illustrating how forwarding intimate content without consent can devastate lives.

Since its launch, the video has amassed 9 million streams, millions of shares, and secured a Top 3 spot in the music charts. It has been shown in hundreds of schools across the Netherlands to educate students on the effects of online shaming. Creative Directors Gijs Sluijters and Joris Tol emphasized the importance of creating content that resonates with Gen Z, turning the stories of online shaming into conversation starters at schools and homes.

The campaign's impact has extended beyond public awareness, influencing political action. The Dutch senate approved The Dutch Sexual Crimes Act on March 19th, which criminalizes the forwarding of intimate pictures without consent.

Following the video's success in the Netherlands, KPN and Dentsu Creative Amsterdam launched the English version to spread the message globally. KPN CEO Joost Farwerck discussed the campaign's insights and goals in an interview on Sky News' Business Live, highlighting KPN's commitment to online safety.

With the international release, KPN aims to propagate the campaign's message, "Think before you forward," worldwide, encouraging both young people and adults to reconsider before sharing sensitive content without consent.