NSPCC launch anti-bullying campaign on youth website

by Joanne Payne, Brand Republic 27-Feb-07, 15:50

LONDON - The NSPCC is set to base itself on Habbo.co.uk, the virtual youth community, in a bid to increase awareness of its anti-bullying campaign and encourage teens to confide in Childline.

To push the free helpline, the NSPCC will sponsor the Zen Garden, a branded space in the Habbo Hotel, designed as a calm space within its private and public rooms. The Habbo homepage will also include information on all NSPCC involvement with the site.

As well as a user poll, Habbo will look to run a room design theme where users are asked to create a room themed around the anti-bullying campaign. Celebrities will also come into the hotel for a virtual 'meet and greet' events.

Habbo has become increasingly popular with brands and organisations who want to communicate with teenagers. Other youth charities such as Frank and RU Thinking are also planning interactive campaigns within Habbo's virtual walls.

Alistair Williams, marketing manager for Habbo, said: "The education and safety of teenagers is a priority for Habbo and as such we are delighted to be able to build on the past success achieved with the NSPCC. Habbo is a great place where teenagers can discuss and share relevant issues with trained professionals in a secure environment."

In 2006, the NSPCC created a campaign called 'Don't Hide It' which received over 13m hits over three months on the site. Habbo branded the calm Zen space for the NSPCC campaign and it was visited 300,000 times and featured a Habbo version of the green dot campaign which received over 25,000 click-throughs to the NSPCC website.

Each month Habbo attracts more than 650,000 unique users aged between 11 - 18 years-old and over 42m page impressions.

Stephanie Hughes, new media communications manager for NSPCC, said: "Websites like Habbo are so much a part of teenagers' lives that it is vital we as an organisation communicate our campaign messages to youngsters in their natural browsing environments and through brands and websites they trust."