The Power of Subverting Humour

When COVID-19 hit Aotearoa, there was a significant spike in racial attacks aimed at the Asian community. Most of these attacks were taking place online, in the form of memes and jokes. The Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Ethnic Communities approached us to help address this issue.

We chose to focus on 'middle NZ', those sharing racist memes and jokes without really thinking. And instead of telling them what to do, we engaged a comedian - James Roque, to discuss these jokes and memes with them in a light-hearted way.

Thinking

The campaign flips the "it's just a joke" defence on its head. When humour is weaponised as a shield for racism, the response is to subvert that shield itself. We recognised that fighting casual racism required more than condemnation - it needed to dismantle the social dynamics that make racist jokes "acceptable." Partnering with Asian comedian James Roque brought authenticity and credibility to the message. Who better to call out racist "humour" than someone who understands the power of real comedy?

Strategic Approach:

  • Authentic Voice: James Roque brought both comedic credentials and lived experience, making him an effective messenger to distinguish between actual humour and racist behaviour

  • Natural Language: Instead of formal anti-racism messaging, we used everyday Kiwi vernacular like "Yeah, nah that's not funny" - giving people accessible ways to call out racism

  • Social Context: We acknowledged that most racist jokes happen in casual, social settings and designed responses that worked in these moments

Seeding campaign. HRC. Racism

Results

  • 7.93M post reach

  • Created a viral vocabulary for calling out racist "humour"

  • Transformed passive disapproval into active response

  • Sparked nationwide conversations about casual racism

What This Teaches Us

The most effective behaviour change comes not from adding new arguments, but from dismantling existing defences. By combining authentic voices, natural language, and strategic subversion, we gave people permission and power to call out casual racism for what it really is.

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