Powerful mental health campaigns that actually made a difference

Mental health campaigns have contributed massively to the ongoing conversation, as awareness has skyrocketed over the last few years. The impact of the global pandemic highlights mental health issues even further, as the topic has become an everyday conversation, in and out of the workplace.

Brands can often be guilty of jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to the latest social trend, but every brand that strives to raise awareness of mental health is actively contributing to breaking down the stigma. We’ve looked into the most powerful mental health campaigns that have incorporated social media that have just hit differently and made a significant impact. 

Heads Up

Did you know the most common cause of death in men under 45 is suicide? The campaign highlights that men are less likely to reach out for support, and incorporates figures such as Gareth Southgate and Prince William, sharing personal stories to help kick the stigma. 

The campaign from the FA & Heads Together aims to get men talking about mental health as much as they talk about football, as well as empowering them to be able to support family and friends with similar issues.

“We are here today to take a big step in shattering this silence. We are going to use one of the most powerful, unifying forces in our society – football – to start the biggest ever conversation on mental health.” – The Duke of Cambridge

The result?

Heads up partnered with Every Mind Matters in January 2020 to delay all matches in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round by 60 seconds, encouraging fans to ‘take a minute’ to look after their mental health.

The initiative also saw 87,417 people get their own personalised ‘Mind Plan’ from Every Mind Matters, equipping them with the tools to look after their own mental health. 

Britain Get Talking

Last years’ Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions came to a grinding halt to launch ITV’s mental wellness campaign, Britain Get Talking, the first stage of the company’s five-year commitment to promote mental wellness.

With a goal of getting 10 million people to take action to improve their mental or physical health by 2023, the launch of the campaign included Ant and Dec inviting the audience at home to turn their attention away from the TV and onto each other, and let mental wellness take the spotlight. Following this, a series of silent adverts were played showing messages of support for the initiative.

The campaign was also re-launched in March 2020 on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, demonstrating the importance of having proper conversations, with Olympian Sir Mo Farah.

The result?

Since March 2020, 6.4 million people have made calls or sent texts to friends and family as a result of the campaign, and last year the campaign also raised £1.4 million to support mental health charity helplines, including donations from the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Power of Okay

See Me, Scotland launched #ThePowerofOkay, to highlight the stigma people feel surrounding mental health in the workplace and combat discrimination. Along with a powerful video, which was shown online and in cinemas, they also provide individuals and brands with a hub of resources to help get the conversation started.

Research shows that 56% of people in Scotland with a mental health condition have experienced discrimination, and only 55% of us would feel confident to challenge mental health stigma if we saw it.

The result?

Website views grew by 42.8%, with 73% new website visitors, and a return rate of 22%. 

Be in Your Mate’s Corner

Combining humour with sport and emotion, Be in Your Mate’s Corner encourages the public to look out for their friends if they start acting differently, whilst aiming to change attitudes around the stigma of mental health, particularly in men. 

The video is part of a five-year campaign from creative agency Ogilvy & Mather London and Time to Change. This particular part of the campaign was followed up with an #AskTwice initiative, with the message being that someone might say they are fine the first time, but asking again can show genuine care and concern, which could empower someone to open up to you, which can be a real game-changer for someone who is struggling. This comes from research showing that 78% of us would say we were ‘fine’ when asked by family and friends, even if we weren’t feeling that way.

The result?

Since Time to Change began in 2007, there has been an overall 8.3% improvement in public attitudes. 

Now it’s over to you

Getting mental health campaigns right can be detrimental to your brand. It’s not good enough to simply jump on the bandwagon, you must ensure you practice what you preach, and have the evidence to back up your claims and actions. Getting it right can reap huge rewards, not just for your brand, but by making a positive impact on society and raising awareness of a real issue.

If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch with our expert team who will be more than happy to help.