Photo courtesy of Scott Woodward
Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
In recent years, the landscape of educational reform and bullying prevention has been profoundly reshaped by the collaborative efforts of individuals like brand guru and Parson’s professor Scott Woodward and initiatives such as Harvard’s Making Caring Common (MCC) project. Their approaches, deeply resonating with the themes of empathy and understanding as depicted in the documentary “Bully,” advocate for instilling kindness and compassion in school cultures, shifting away from traditional and more punitive behavior.
Harvard’s MCC project takes a proactive stance, aiming to restructure school culture by building a community grounded in respect and care. The project actively engages educators, students, and parents in its mission, implementing practical, evidence-based programs that foster positive social and emotional growth in students. These programs underscore the significance of empathy, effective communication, and conflict resolution, thereby equipping young people with essential skills to cultivate inclusive and empathetic communities.
Complementing and foreshadowing MCC’s efforts, Scott Woodward, the founder of SEW Branded and a veteran in the fashion and luxury marketing industry, initiated a groundbreaking collaboration with Office Depot a decade ago. Addressing the escalating issues of bullying and teen suicides, Woodward’s campaign aimed to spark a nationwide conversation among parents, teachers, and youth, centered around fostering kindness in schools. This initiative, through the “1D + OD Together Against Bullying” campaign featuring One Direction, transcended traditional awareness campaigns by implementing tangible educational programs across American schools.
Woodward’s campaign meticulously targeted key educational stakeholders: teachers, parents, and students. For teachers, the focus was on reducing the stress associated with managing bullying, thereby enhancing the teaching environment. For parents, the campaign offered reassurance and support, addressing their concerns about their children’s safety and well-being. But most crucially, it empowered students to confront bullying with resilience and courage.
The 360-degree Clio award winning campaign and PSA complete with back-to-school products with positive messaging featured the musical phenomenon One Direction, straight off their Pepsi spot with legend Drew Brees. Interviews with each band member by Woodward during their world tour were featured within an in-school educational training video program that was led by an anti-bullying expert in over 1,000 schools across America.
Parallel to Woodward’s initiatives, “Bully” intimately portrays the experiences of students tormented for their differences, emphasizing the critical need for empathy and understanding in tackling bullying – themes that are in harmony with Woodward’s vision and the #StartWithKindness campaign. The documentary poignantly captures the emotional toll of bullying, as articulated by Kelby, a 16-year-old featured in the film, who likens the world’s accumulated sadness to an overwhelming downpour.
In the digital era, the significance of these campaigns is amplified. Bullying has expanded beyond physical spaces into the digital realm, necessitating a comprehensive approach to prevention that includes both physical and online interactions among youth. Woodward’s strategic use of celebrity influence, notably with One Direction and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation the year prior, exemplifies the power of aligning popular figures, especially within the music genre, with social causes. These collaborations have played a pivotal role in magnifying the message and fostering a cultural shift towards greater kindness and empathy.
The broader impact of these campaigns extends beyond immediate results, contributing to a larger cultural conversation on bullying and the shared responsibility to create safer, more supportive educational environments. The positive response from diverse societal segments, including parents, teachers, and students, underscores the effectiveness of these initiatives in raising awareness and prompting actionable change.
The efforts of visionaries like Woodward and organizations like MCC are increasingly critical as society grapples with the complexities of bullying, especially in the digital age. Their advocacy for campaigns centered on empathy, respect, and understanding offers hope for educational spaces where every student feels safe, valued, and empowered. These efforts aim to highlight the importance of kindness, advocating for educational experiences that nurture not only academic knowledge but also emotional intelligence and compassion.
The convergence of Woodward’s marketing strategies, Harvard’s #StartWithKindness campaign, and insights from “Bully” weave a comprehensive narrative that not only confronts the issue of bullying but also envisions a future where kindness is a fundamental component of education. This future is committed to equipping the next generation with both intellectual and emotional intelligence, fostering a more empathetic and inclusive society. Kindness is becoming the norm as opposed to the exception.
This early work around kindness, anti-bullying in schools and now the workplace and sports has also had an impact on and given voice to the mental health discussion resonating in the post-pandemic world with Shawn Mendes, Salena Gomez, and Naomi Osaka for Sweet Green.
Woodward has been recently profiled by MSN.com and Fashion Week Daily on the effects of his visionary campaign a decade ago that began with a vision for kinder classrooms and how it has spread to other spheres of our lives, like work and sport.