White Ribbon
We transformed White Ribbon from an advocate into an authority.
As gender-based violence climbed, and new threats – like online misogyny – emerged, White Ribbon’s negative forces were becoming louder than their message of allyship. Rather than respond to individual moments, we established the organization as a consistent, authoritative voice on healthy masculinity. Over five years, we built culturally responsive programming and educational resources used around the world to combat rising negativity.
19
countries leveraged programming
$5M+
in government funding secured
250%
staffing growth at White Ribbon
Opportunity
A critical conversation with no leader.
Gender-based violence was on the rise as conversations around masculinity grew more complex, fueled by online radicalization, transphobia and hostility toward women. No organization was leading these conversations from a prevention perspective. White Ribbon was founded to end gender-based violence, but lacked the profile to shape discourse at scale. The opportunity was to elevate it to global thought-leader status by making urgent threats unignorable to parents, educators and young men.
“Expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”
Humberto Carolo, White Ribbon CEO
Solution
We turned emerging cultural moments into tools institutions could use for years.
We built a playbook that let White Ribbon join cultural moments while building recognition as the organization leading them: uncover an issue, present it as an unignorable PSA resonating with young men and educating parents, then place it in the right institutions. This addressed a real gap: nearly 1 in 2 men feel socially isolated, and only 11% of Canadian youth trust institutional media. We built a long-term platform responding to pressing issues each year, from gender norms to COVID-era violence, transphobia and online hate. The films became practical tools for educators well beyond launch.
Impact
A regional nonprofit became a global authority on masculinity and prevention.
White Ribbon evolved from a respected organization into a globally recognized leader in healthy masculinity and violence prevention, adopted into school curricula and featured by leading global institutions like UNESCO and the Canadian Military, extending its reach and influence well beyond its original footprint.
