ADDING MULTIMEDIA Secret Mean Stinks Holds Biggest. Assembly. Ever. to Unite Girls Against Bullying

First-Ever Anti-Bullying Assembly Live-Streamed in Schools Nationwide

Zendaya and Alexis Jones discuss bullying at Secret Mean Stinks Biggest. Assembly. Ever. (Photo: Business Wire)

NEW YORK--()--In an effort to turn the tide on girl-to-girl bullying, Secret Deodorant’s Mean Stinks is holding the Biggest. Assembly. Ever. today at 12:30 pm ET/9:30 am PT. This nationwide event is the first time thousands of students in high schools across the country will join together to “Gang Up for Good” in one live-streamed assembly in support of October’s National Bullying Prevention Month.

Now in its third year, Mean Stinks is teaming up with Hollywood Records recording artist from Disney Channel’s “Shake it Up” and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” Zendaya and female empowerment expert Alexis Jones to inspire girls to “Gang Up For Good” and combat a serious issue—girl-to-girl bullying—that is endemic to their peer group. Girls everywhere are challenged to take ownership of this cause and end bullying at its source by actively spreading nice behavior both online and in their local communities. As assembly co-hosts, Zendaya and Alexis Jones will answer questions about girl-to-girl bullying, share their personal bullying experiences, and offer empowering advice to help “end the mean.”

“I was bullied in school for my height so I know how it feels when the ‘mean’ never ends,” said Zendaya. “In partnership with Secret Mean Stinks, I want girls everywhere to ‘Gang Up for Good’ against bullying. The Biggest. Assembly. Ever. provides the perfect forum to raise awareness about girl-to-girl bullying while encouraging girls to start choosing nice behavior over mean.”

Granada Hills Charter High School in Los Angeles will host the Biggest. Assembly. Ever. and receive the honor of the first-ever “Nicest School in America” in recognition of its student-led anti-bullying program. Eight additional hero schools are joining this first-ever nationwide anti-bullying assembly virtually via social media. To follow Secret Mean Stinks during the Biggest. Assembly. Ever., visit meanstinks.com or use #MeanStinks.

“A girl’s physical, emotional and mental well-being is rooted in her self-worth, and we are living in a world where girls are constantly being bullied, creating low self-esteem,” said Alexis Jones, creator of I AM THAT GIRL. “Bullying comes in all forms and at the Secret Mean Stinks Biggest. Assembly. Ever., we’re going to talk about how we can end mean behavior among girls and choose to be nice.”

To date, Mean Stinks has connected with more than 1.5 million girls to spread awareness about girl-to-girl bullying. Throughout this school year, girls can join in a variety of Mean Stinks programs that will continue the momentum of the Biggest. Assembly. Ever., designed to encourage and teach girls to stand up to bullying in fun ways, as well as to share their own success stories.

People can also get involved online with the “Girls Guide to End Bullying,” a web-based interactive curriculum uniquely proven to decrease the experiences of being bullied by educating the specific audiences who are affected by it most. Developed by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center – a leader in research on childhood behavioral victimization – through the support of P&G and Secret Mean Stinks, the “Girls Guide to End Bullying” provides tips and advice that girls can easily apply to their lives, plus activities that enable them to better understand and overcome each type of bullying.

“Secret Mean Stinks has taken a stance to stop girl-to-girl bullying, empowering young women to take a proactive role in ending the mean,” said John Sebastian, Secret Marketing Director. “We have evolved Mean Stinks programming year-over-year, from a small grassroots effort to a truly inspirational movement. We believe in this cause because we believe in the people it affects – and we are determined to continue addressing it proactively through education and nice behavior.”

To help girls “stick-up” against what really stinks—being mean—and protect against the “stink” caused by wetness and odor, Secret created Secret Means Stinks Clinical Strength in Fearlessly Fresh scent available at the P&G E-store and select major retailers nationwide.

About Secret Deodorant’s Mean Stinks Movement
In 2012, Secret Deodorant began its commitment to bringing an end to girl-to-girl bullying with the Mean Stinks movement. During the following year, Secret Mean Stinks inspired girls to “Gang Up for Good” by creating 1.3 million acts of “good.” Girls were encouraged to take a proactive role in standing-up to bullying and sharing their #NiceAdvice with each other via social media. Thousands of girls across the country took “blue pinky swears” as a visual reminder and a call-to-action to keep it a “drama free school year.” For more information about Mean Stinks, including the various ways girls and schools can get involved and “Gang Up for Good” to end mean behavior, join the conversation on Twitter with @MeanStinks and visit the Secret Mean Stinks Facebook experience.

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Ace®, Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Fusion®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Iams®, Lenor®, Mach3®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Prestobarba®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

Contacts

Marina Maher Communications
Emily Denham, 212-485-1679
Email: edenham@mahercomm.com
or
Procter & Gamble
Kate DiCarlo, 513-983-7166
Email: dicarlo.km@pg.com

Release Summary

Secret Deodorant’s holds the Biggest. Assembly. Ever. with Disney Channel star Zendaya to help end girl-to-girl bullying

Contacts

Marina Maher Communications
Emily Denham, 212-485-1679
Email: edenham@mahercomm.com
or
Procter & Gamble
Kate DiCarlo, 513-983-7166
Email: dicarlo.km@pg.com