Monica Lewinsky Delivers Powerful Cyber Bullying Message At Cannes
Monica Lewinsky was one of the keynote speakers at Cannes 2015 this week and B&T’s Nancy Hromin was on hand to hear her moving and often very painful speech…
A standing ovation for Monica Lewinsky’s deeply painful journey of public shaming and cyber humiliation left the entire Grand Audi stadium at Cannes Lion breathless.
Tham Khai Meng, world wide chief creative officer of Ogilvy and Mather who opened the talk said that 200 years ago in Europe, we mercilessly pilloried people. Adulterers were tied up in chains, and the passing crowd threw eggs, rotten fruit and dead dogs at them. Everyone laughed while the lovers experienced the shame of public humiliation.
Fast forward today and we have a new form of bloodsport where modern technology meets old fashioned cruelty and millions upon millions of strangers, most of them anonymous can judge us, and thrown stones at us. Monica Lewinsky bore each and every stone on the inside for 16 years, shamed, humiliated and broken. The escalating and destructive power of cyber mobs and outrage circles are a social issue that must be addressed urgently she said. “Consumers now have more power in their click finger than Nero had in his thumb.”
Lewinsky started her presentation taking a deep breath. She was nervous and brave in equal measure preparing to go on stage to relive her ordeal and not really knowing how she will be received by the audience. How could she know, after her experience and the depth of hatred and vilification she endured?
As I watched her, I felt a deep empathy for her. I saw the women, the daughter, the friend, and the sister. A stranger, yet someone who I felt I knew intimately. I felt her pain with every nerve-wracking breath she took as she started her talk and I felt for her deeply. I felt ashamed of my own participation in the blood sport of shaming Monica Lewinsky 16 years ago. And I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for the lack of compassion and kindness she was denied.
Sixteen years ago a 22-year-old intern of the White House fell in love with her boss. This error of judgement cost Monica Lewinsky her job, her career and left her life in tatters. She started with a question: “Put your hand up if you have ever made a mistake or did something you regretted?” The entire auditorium raised their hands. Then she said, “Now keep your hand up if every single person in this auditorium knows what you did.”
She was left with her hand up. Alone.
Monica Lewinsky broke her self-imposed silence to help others. For all those decent people who have made a mistake, and have suffered at the hands of the judgment. According to the The National Communication Association (NCA), cyber-bullying is drawing increasing attention, with online activity soaring and a larger number of bullying cases resulting in tragedy.
Lewinsky then took us on her journey, peppered with some humour (“yes okay, I regret wearing the beret”) and reflecting on how every day, in every source of news, she was described as a “vixen, stalker, dimwit floozy, slut” and those were the kinder adjectives, she added, pan faced.
“Not a day goes by where I don’t regret the mistake I made,” she mused almost as though she was alone and the auditorium was empty. She was indeed a solitary figure on the stage and I started to wonder about her – did she have a partner? Children? Was she happy? How were her parents? How much did they suffer through this through no fault of their own? How must they have felt? Did we ever hear their story of pain and fear for the life of their daughter, a life which she felt for many years was not worth living? What could have been of her life had this thing not happened to her?
Despite the darkness of her tale, Monica Lewinsky has a remarkably unwavering belief in the kindness of people. “There may have been millions of haters,” she said “but it was the small minority of kindness and empathy I experienced, from my friends and family and from a small group of on line supporters that gave me the courage and strength to move on.”
Lewinsky went on to describe the marketplace that has emerged in our modern economy where shame and public humiliation is a commodity and a commodity that has unfortunately a profit attached to it. As people working in the media, she said, we all have a social responsibility to stop the bloodsport. A cultural revolution where public shaming as a bloodsport has to stop. She concluded with a reference to a longitudinal study conducted in the US from which it was concluded that bullying was more damaging than child abuse and those who experienced bullying were four times more likely to suffer from depression than those who suffered from child abuse. Do we want to live in this kind of society? In a world devoid of compassion and kindness? she asked.
And then I stood up along with several thousand others. And clapped and clapped and clapped till my hands hurt.
If you know a female powerhouse in the industry, make sure you nominate B&T’s Women in Media Awards here!
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.