That's Not Cool
Engaging Teens
That’s Not Cool is a national public education campaign designed to prevent teen dating abuse. Developed by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women and the Advertising Council, That’s Not Cool uses digital examples of controlling behavior online and by cell phone to encourage teens to draw their own line about what is, or is not, acceptable relationship behavior.
Visit the campaign website, www.thatsnotcool.com.
About Digital Dating Abuse
For today’s teens, digital technology is an extension of their everyday lives and their intimate relationships. However, these new digital technologies have created a landscape in which personal boundaries and ways to promote safety are far from clear. Digital abuse is a growing form of abuse, particularly among teens, which can include unwanted, repeated calls or text messages, breaking into email or social networking accounts, or being pressured to send private or embarrassing pictures or videos.
For statistics on teen dating abuse and digital abuse, please see our Teens and Dating Violence Fact Sheet.
About the Campaign
This public service advertising (PSA) campaign, created pro bono by R/GA, includes an interactive website, mobile component, television, radio, print, outdoor posters in schools and malls, and Web ads. It is designed to help teens recognize digital dating abuse and give them the tools to initiate a conversation about it. The PSAs direct audiences to visit, www.ThatsNotCool.com, where teens can find tools to “draw their own digital line” and a forum to discuss relationships and seek help. The site launched in January 2009 and was promoted through an exclusive with Google across search, display and YouTube to measure the impact of each on direct traffic to the site.
That’s Not Cool also reaches teens by using social media and creative on-the-ground, in-person tactics. Among many venues, the campaign has built a relationship with teens on Facebook and MySpace, at Los Angeles skate parks, New York City street festivals, and at rock concerts in Detroit, Tampa, and St. Louis.
During the summer of 2009, That’s Not Cool created a series of scripts addressing digital dating abuse, which were performed as “stunts” depicting real life situations. These stunts caught the attention of hundreds of teens and provided an untraditional and interactive way to talk with youth about what’s okay, or not okay, in relationships. Samples of these stunts can be viewed on the That’s Not Cool YouTube Channel.
The campaign also rocked with thousands of teens during the 2009 Vans Warped Tour, the largest rock festival in the country. That’s Not Cool hosted a digitally rigged booth with custom interactive video games and cool giveaways like stickers and T-Shirts. To find out more about the Vans Warped Tour experience, check out the That’s Not Cool blog.
Where ever the campaign happens to be, teens acknowledge that they’re concerned about dating and digital issues. That’s Not Cool provides these teens with essential information and action.
A New Campaign Tools Website
That’s Not Cool has launched a new Campaign Tools Website for anyone to use in their community to prevent teen dating abuse. This Campaign Tools Website includes all campaign marketing materials as well as background information and instructional documents for immediate download and use.
To create an account and explore ways to bring That’s Not Cool to your community, visit http://www.thatsnotcool.com/tools/login.asp.
Read the Press Release.
Visit the campaign website, www.thatsnotcool.com.
