A Piece of Me (case study) - KPN | Clapboard Ad Archive
KPN’s 2024 campaign A Piece of Me confronts the urgent social crisis of online shaming among Generation Z through a culturally resonant and symbolically charged music video created in partnership with Dutch singer-songwriter MEAU and Dentsu Creative Amsterdam. This campaign addresses the widespread non-consensual forwarding of intimate photos, a practice that has victimized 33,000 young people in the Netherlands over six months and led to devastating consequences including isolation, depression, and suicide. Rather than depicting the issue literally, the campaign employs an approach that sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#3—Symbolize the Problem—using metaphor and artistic storytelling to represent the emotional devastation caused by such breaches of trust, encapsulated in the concept of losing a piece of oneself. The music video’s lyrical and visual narrative transforms an often taboo and stigmatized topic into a relatable and empathetic conversation starter, enabling the campaign to penetrate deeply into Gen Z’s cultural landscape. Garnering over 9 million streams and securing a Top 3 position in the Dutch music charts, the campaign’s reach extends beyond commercial success, as it has been integrated into educational programs across hundreds of schools to foster critical dialogue about digital consent and online safety. KPN leverages this socially responsible positioning to reinforce its brand as a telecommunications provider committed not only to connectivity but to safeguarding privacy and ethical digital conduct, differentiating itself in a competitive electronics market. The campaign’s influence transcended public awareness by contributing directly to political change, with the Dutch senate approving the Dutch Sexual Crimes Act in March 2024, criminalizing the unauthorized forwarding of intimate images. Following domestic success, KPN and Dentsu Creative Amsterdam expanded the campaign internationally with an English version titled Piece of My Soul, emphasizing the universal relevance of its message Think Twice before You Forward. KPN’s CEO highlighted the campaign’s insights and ambition in a Sky News Business Live interview, reinforcing the brand’s leadership in online safety advocacy. The campaign’s strategic blend of emotional storytelling, educational outreach, and legislative impact exemplifies how telecommunications brands can harness culturally attuned content to address critical social issues while building trust with younger audiences. Clapboard rates this campaign 79/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how a telecommunications brand can effectively integrate symbolic creative formats with social advocacy to drive both cultural change and legislative progress in digital privacy.
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