Today, in honor of Stop Cyberbullying Day, CO. by Colgate and The Cybersmile Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online, announce a partnership to raise awareness of online bullying and its impact on the lives of many young people. CO. by Colgate will donate $1 for every product purchased in 2021 to The Cybersmile Foundation, committing to a minimum donation of $200,000 and a maximum of $300,000.
As a purpose-driven brand founded on the values of inclusivity and authentic self-expression, CO. by Colgate envisions a world where everyone can express themselves freely; when we can express ourselves freely, we smile more. Yet research conducted by CO. by Colgate and The Cybersmile Foundation shows cyberbullying is a significant barrier to confident self-expression – with 73% of Gen Z stating they have seen somebody targeted with online abuse, bullying or harassment for how they express their individuality or identity.** CO. by Colgate aims to help change this reality by supporting the work of The Cybersmile Foundation through financial contributions and by raising awareness around cyberbullying on CO.'s social media platforms.
"Cyberbullying is a longstanding issue that impacts people's confidence in their smile: new research has found that 77% of Gen Z** have felt self-conscious posting a selfie online because of their teeth or smile," said Dana Medema, Vice President & General Manager, Oral Care, Colgate-North America. "We are proud to support the work of The Cybersmile Foundation to build a safer, more inclusive future for Gen-Z and all online users."
To extend the conversation beyond Stop Cyberbullying Day, CO. by Colgate and The Cybersmile Foundation will continue to raise awareness of cyberbullying throughout the year and will publish a Cybersmile report sponsored by CO. by Colgate titled "The State of Play Report: Gen Z & Identity Based Cyberbullying." The report will center on the prevalence of cyberbullying on Gen Z and its emotional impact, with a particular focus on the intersection of cyberbullying and ableness, race, skin tone, religious affiliation, individual identity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Findings from the report will inform a series of best-practice recommendations for dealing with cyberbullying and reporting identity-based abuse and hate-speech on a platform-by-platform basis; it will also help guide The Cybersmile Foundation's ongoing work and support services.
"Stop Cyberbullying Day is a very important day for The Cybersmile Foundation as we dedicate our work to promote kindness, diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community," said Scott Freeman, CEO of The Cybersmile Foundation. "We are pleased to have CO. by Colgate as a partner, a brand that champions all people to share their authentic selves with the world and live their truth boldly."
Join us on social media at @CO.Colgate and @cybersmilefoundation to help promote a more inclusive and positive online community where everyone can smile brighter and bolder.
*A minimum donation of $200,000 will be made and the donation is capped at $300,000.
**All figures are from Perksy. Total sample size was 1,096 individuals 16-24. Fieldwork was undertaken between June 3 2021 and June 4 2021. The survey was carried out on mobile.
