Cutting the Strings of the Manosphere's Misogynistic Puppet Masters
As western politics swing evermore to the right, the influence of the ‘manosphere’ (a collection of online voices and platforms that promote toxic masculinity and misogyny) is growing, particularly among young boys. Which is why White Ribbon, a 34-year-old Canadian movement working to end gender-based violence and discrimination, is launching a new campaign aiming to put an end to this alarming trend.
Created by Bensimon Byrne, a Toronto agency that creates an annual campaign for White Ribbon, the campaign is entitled ‘My Friend, Max Hate’ and follows the journey of a young, isolated boy who becomes influenced by an eerily familiar, misogynistic online puppet.
Each year when creating for White Ribbon, the team at Bensimon Byrne looks at the cultural landscape and pivots to where they see the biggest need. Last year, with ‘Short Life Stories’, they tackled transphobia as it saw - and continues to see - the terrible erosion of trans rights and its detrimental impact on the trans community. This year, they looked at the discourse in the mainstream media and the aforementioned ‘manosphere’, a term that is only now becoming more generally known. “Across the team, we spent countless hours researching the unrestrained misogyny in the manosphere,” says Joseph Bonnici, chief creative officer at Bensimon Byrne, speaking with LBB. “In YouTube videos, chat rooms, and social platforms across the board.”
To validate that experience, Bensimon Byrne did a national survey. They found that 83% of Canadians, including 82% of parents of boys, are unfamiliar with the manosphere that promotes sexist views of young men. But at the same time, seven in ten Canadians are worried about the effects of hateful online content on children, with significant concerns around its impact on male-female relationships. “The biggest thing we unearthed” says Joseph, “is how unchecked the manosphere is across many social platforms. The violent and misogynistic language that is used without fear is everywhere. No one is afraid of being ‘cancelled’. It’s the opposite. It’s like they are daring someone to take them on. It’s fearless and meant to intimidate at every turn. They feel by saying the most violent things-they will spark fear.”
The creative approach was inspired by the tone of this misogynistic ideology. “There is an aggressiveness to it that is so dark,” says Joseph. “We knew we needed to counter this head-on and have just as loud a voice. So, this year’s creative is in your face. It’s real to what countless influencers globally are preaching to young boys online, and it’s shocking.”
This campaign works in two ways. The main three-minute film aims to make parents aware of what’s happening. Then there are six TikTok videos aimed at young boys that explain how the manosphere works. “The tricks, the traps, and the language,” says Joseph. “How it’s designed to make a growing group of misogynistic influencers very rich at their expense.”
My Friend, Max Hate was directed by Westside’s Angie Bird and edited by Rooster's Michelle Czuker. Angie also helmed last year’s Cannes Lion-winning Short Life Stories and is, in the words of Joseph, an ally that understands the depth of the problem at hand. “She also has such a beautiful perspective in the way she allows stories to unfold,” he says. “She captures so many nuances in each of the character’s performances, especially the young boy. She knows how to build tension and empathy. No young boy naturally sets out to become the person depicted in the last scene. So, we needed Angie to capture how a young boy could go from relative innocence to full-on hate, even for his own mother. And that was a story we knew that Angie could tell.”
As director, it was Angie’s job, along with the talented VFX team at Alter Ego, to build out the look and feel of the puppet, which was used as a visual metaphor for how young boys are being tricked into becoming ‘puppets’ of misogynistic hate. “When you’re not thinking critically, someone else is pulling the strings”, explains Angie, also speaking with LBB. “And that’s exactly how these influencers operate—slowly, subtly, until their audience is no longer thinking for themselves, they’re just another puppet fuelled by hate”. The choice to embody these issues in a puppet also allowed the creative and production teams to amalgamate many of the manosphere’s voices.
“A lot of so-called ‘masculinity influencers’ act tough and macho,” adds Angie. “But their real audience isn’t other adult men—it’s vulnerable young boys who feel lost and are looking for guidance. These influencers prey on that insecurity, using toxic masculinity as a marketing tool to pull boys into their world, reinforcing harmful beliefs to make themselves feel more powerful.”
The team wanted to capture that dynamic in a way that felt both familiar and unsettling. Puppets are designed to educate and entertain, which, adds Angie, makes them the perfect vehicle for manipulation. “Visually, we leaned into a ‘Sesame Street meets Douchebag’ aesthetic, giving Max an inviting yet sleazy look. We built and filmed the puppet practically, which was crucial for making him feel like a real presence in the world. This also gave our brilliant young actor, Benjamin, something tangible to interact with, making their scenes together feel disturbingly authentic.”
Angie was brought into the production process early on, allowing her to collaborate on the script and refine every moment to maximise its impact. “I always appreciate Bensimon Byrne’s openness to a truly creative partnership—it gives us the freedom to work together to push ideas further and craft something bold and unexpected.”
From the start, everyone knew the production would be challenging. They needed to cast a 12-year-old, non-union actor, design and build the right practical puppet, and work within a tight budget. “But every single person, from the agency to casting, the puppeteers, the crew, and our post production partners, poured their time, talent, and heart into making this feel cinematic, arresting, and bigger than the sum of its parts.
“I was personally drawn to this project because the issue it explores isn’t just theoretical,” adds Angie. “it’s happening right now, and it’s gaining power. Just look at the real-life Handmaid’s Tale situation unfolding in the US. There’s a real, urgent need to tell stories that shine a light on these hateful forces, and I think that urgency fueled all of us to create something that truly resonates.”
My Friend, Max Hate launches today, January 30th, two weeks before Safer Internet Day (February 11th), and underscores the importance of online safety and protecting youth through clear content boundaries. It represents the next phase in White Ribbon's mission to address the systemic and societal issues that contribute to gender-based violence worldwide.
“It’s alarming to see the growing impact of the manosphere and how they are conditioning vulnerable populations such as teens, particularly young men,” says Humberto Carolo, chief executive officer at White Ribbon. “These misogynistic online groups have existed for years, but their influence has grown under controversial figures, driving an increase in gender-based violence. With the My Friend, Max Hate campaign, our goal is to expose the damaging influence of misogynistic figures and raise awareness, particularly among young men who are often drawn into these toxic online communities.”
