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2018 One Show - Social Media

The R Word

Agency Marketforce / West Perth

Client Avivo
BACK TO RESULTS

Annual ID

OS_SM18038M

About the Work

The word retard appears on Twitter every 5 seconds. Yet the word is offensive, not just to people with intellectual and physical disability, but to their friends, families and carers. But how can you ask people to stop using the word when so many people Tweet it so often. We created a Twitter bot to detect any English language use of the word ‘Retard’ or ‘Retarded’. Then the bot automatically responded in real time with a message, a branded video from someone affected by the R word, talking directly to the person who just used it. Recipients were directed to our website, where they could learn more about what the word means to others, get to know the person behind their video message, and learn more about our client, Avivo, a not-for-profit home care services provider, who work with people with intellectual and physical disabilities in their homes and communities.