The first conference on bullying and cyberbullying is part of a local plan to protect children and young people.

When the Social Services Department asked me to design the graphic image for the event, they gave me total creative freedom, with the only requirement that the image had to reflect a positive aspect to give hope for a solution to such a complicated problem.

The problem of bullying today is undoubtedly worrying and should not be taken lightly.
But it is equally true that both those who suffer and those who bully can be attracted by a tone of communication that shows a way out, that points to solutions rather than the problem.

After a compilation of graphic materials on the same theme, the visual clichés came to the fore: grim posters abounded, with a perpetrator projected in a vile, almost monstrous way, and a victim suffering in total helplessness. A simple and pessimistic approach that, in contrast, showed how our event could stand out and be different.

The graphic solution shows a person literally climbing out of the dark pit of harassment. He emerges from the darkness into the open air with the help of a hand that shows him that he is not alone.

In addition to the various printed materials produced for distribution during the days of the event, posters, press releases and outdoor media were projected to make the event visible. A short animated film explored the idea behind the graphic image and summarised the horror experienced during the harassment and the courage needed to come out of it. The video was shown on local TV stations and shared locally on social media.

Finally, the pieces were tracked and adapted into different formats on social networks before, during and after the event, with success in terms of attendance and media attention.