Maybelline New York is building on its work to address online abuse in gaming, launching a new campaign in partnership with independent agency HERO.

The 'Under the Avatar' campaign focuses on the experiences of female-identifying gamers, of which 76% have experienced or observed harassment or offensive behaviour whilst online gaming, according to research conducted by Bastion Insight for the beauty brand in 2023. By contrast, 71% of male gamers who witness abuse in gaming just ignore it.

The campaign follows the success of Maybelline's 'Through Their Eyes' campaign, which achieved almost 450 million impressions globally and was recognised by United Nations Women. The campaign saw male gamers put in the firing line of verbal abuse and harassment, by using tech to change their voices and insert them into a multiplayer game appearing as the opposite sex. Resulting in an astounding display of abuse, the video highlighted an urgent need to take further action.

Now continuing its efforts to address toxic behave in the gaming space, Maybelline's 'Under the Avatar' campaign includes a social experiment video where two females experience verbal abuse in a multiplayer game, capturing their friends' reactions.

Maybelline New York, ANZ Marketing Director Melanie Bower said: “We wanted to generate more than just empathy for those suffering from toxic abuse in the gaming world. We wanted anyone thinking that this behaviour is tolerable to realise that there is a real human behind the avatar, and to give people the tools to stand up to online abuse.”

HERO Executive Creative Director, Shane Geffen, said: “The mindset towards verbal abuse in the gaming world is proving difficult to shift, despite the large reach of the first campaign and concerted efforts by others to change the game. For this campaign we tried a different approach, to show gamers who they are really hurting, real human beings that are family, partners and friends.”

The campaign aims to equip gamers with tools to stand up for others experiencing toxic behaviour in-game and support those who have experienced abuse. It is in partnership with youth mental health organisations Reach Out (AU) and Youthline (NZ). The campaign went live on Thursday, March 14.