March 28, 2025
Anti-bullying campaign STIP IT! takes over RTV Slovenia
For more than 10 years, VRT's STIP IT campaign has called on people to stand up against bullying. With four dots on a hand as a powerful symbol, STIP IT aims to connect, unite and engage young and old.
The campaign, originally initiated by VRT's children's channel Ketnet, has grown significantly over the years, extending its reach beyond Flanders to the Netherlands, Wallonia, and now also Slovenia. Martina Peštaj, Head of Children's and Youth Programme on TV Slovenija, shares how the STIP IT-format was adapted in Slovenia - and how it made an impact.
Odpikajmo nasilje
"What an exciting three weeks we have had in March! We prepared a Slovenian version of the Stip it! campaign on RTV Slovenia, which we called 'Odpikajmo nasilje'. This would be the closest in meaning to the word game 'Dot Out Violence' (derived from the phrase cut out). We thought that such a title had a playful but powerful message for our place.
The presentation of Ketnet's Stip it! campaign at the EBU Kids meeting, where heads of kids' programmes exchange knowledge, experiences and ideas every year, inspired us so much that we did everything we could to transfer the campaign to us. We managed to impress the relevant ministries, the government and the education institute, so that they financially supported the project, and we collaborated with the most relevant organisations and experts in this field in terms of content. We ran the campaign in the Children's and Youth Programme, connecting all three parts of national television: TV, radio and digital. During the three weeks, many television and radio shows were broadcast; we broadcast thematic cartoons, series, films and documentaries. We prepared articles and supporting pedagogical materials for teachers and parents along with the shows, which could be helpful for them in their work with children and youth.
We were lucky in choosing our ambassadors. We invited the popular actress and presenter Gaja Filač, judoka Andreja Leški, who won a gold medal at the Olympic Games last year, and rapper Leopold I. He and his team prepared a song and a video that gave us all goosebumps, and the video is rapidly gaining views on YouTube and is being played on television and radio stations.
We spread the dots throughout all Slovenian cities by means of sponsored advertising posters and flags, as well as large posters. The invitation to participate traveled to all Slovenian schools.
Schools held workshops and conversations and sent us photos and notes. The dots were spread by various institutions and companies. You could always meet someone with dots on their hands on the streets. Above all, everyone thought that the campaign was wonderful, important and very necessary.
Now that it's over, we admit that we never imagined such a response. We are very grateful to the Ketnet team, who shared with us everything they had learned over the years of implementing the campaign. We were able to prepare for almost everything thoughtfully, but things still surprised us and our small team, consisting of an experienced editor, who's also a media psychologist; and a young, aspiring psychology student, put their heads and hearts into the campaign. This week, Dunja, the head of the campaign became the Name of the Week on our most listened radio station.
Now comes the reflection of the work done and the formulation of plans for the future. But we can say with certainty that the campaign was exceptional for all of us who worked on it, both personally and professionally. Thank you, Ketnet, for the inspiration and support!"
The editorial team
