• by Tanya Gazdik , July 21, 2011

Secret deodorant has created the "Mean Stinks" program; a supportive Facebook community that gives young women the courage to stand up to "stinky" behavior: bullying.

Secret is partnering with Amber Riley, best known as Mercedes on the Fox show "Glee," and Rachel Simmons, a national relationship expert, to start a movement of "nice."

Simmons, an author and expert on the social issues facing young women, has helped Secret in creating content for the dedicated "Mean Stinks" Facebook page that empowers young women by providing tools for them to face the difficulties and drama of bullying.

The Procter & Gamble personal hygiene brand is also partnering with Bloomington, Minn.-based Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center by donating a portion of proceeds from select Secret Clinical Strength purchases to its prevention efforts.

Riley is tweeting about the program and also will participate in Facebook Q&A sessions as well as appear in print advertising that helps support donations to Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center.

This is not Glee's first philanthropic marketing affiliation. The cast of "Glee" partnered with American Express' Members Project and Take Part last year to urge fans to make a difference by volunteering, voting or donating.

Secret consumers will also be able to show support for "Mean Stinks" by purchasing a T-shirt at the eStore via the Facebook page. Secret is also launching an iAd for the program on Apple's mobile advertising network and will donate $1 to Pacer's for every user who saves a "Mean Stinks" wallpaper to their iPhone and iPod touch when they see the ad in their favorite apps.

Facebook users can request a coupon, and for every one redeemed, Secret also will donate $1 to Pacer's.

To fully understand this issue, Secret commissioned a survey of 1,000 young women ages 16-21 to prove the proliferation of bullying extends beyond grade school and has intensified with the explosion of cyber-bullying. Survey findings underscore that 48% of college-age students have experienced or witnessed bullying or mean behavior at college or in the work environment.

The survey, conducted by Russell Research, found that 99% agree that being bullied stinks, 94% of young women agree social media makes it easier for girls to bully or torment one another, 73% felt angry and 64% have felt frustrated after witnessing someone being bullied. Furthermore, 96% are personally concerned about seeing a person being bullied and no one doing anything to help, and 87% agree that social media sites have the power to be used positively in the fight against bullying.

"Our goal is to empower young women to rise above bullying and to help we have created tools like our Mean Stinks Facebook community," says Kevin Hochman, marketing director, Secret Brand, P&G Beauty, in a release.