Nearly 70 Million U.S. Adults are Struggling
but Unlikely to Seek Help; Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the
Ad Council Offer Resources, Inspiration
NEW
YORK, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Huntsman
Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council today unveiled their
most comprehensive communications initiative yet, designed to
create a more open, accepting and proactive society when it comes
to mental health.
Through extensive market research, the new "Love, Your Mind"
campaign was developed to resonate with the nearly 70 million
adults across the U.S. who are likely to experience mental health
challenges – while also holding attitudes and beliefs that may
discourage them from seeking help. Building on the Huntsman Mental
Health Institute and the Ad Council's long-term commitment to
advancing mental health, this latest effort convenes experts, media
platforms and influential voices to change the conversation around
mental health at an unprecedented scale.
"Love, Your Mind" offers free mental health resources on
LoveYourMindToday.org, or ConAmorTuMente.org in Spanish. The
campaign is releasing multiple national PSAs designed to resonate
with specific audiences among the 70 million, beginning with
content tailored for Black men and for Hispanic men (in both
English and Spanish), who are overrepresented among this group.
"People of color in our country frequently experience racial
battle fatigue: a systemic racism-related repetitive stress injury
that is strongly correlated with mental health challenges," said
Dr. William A. Smith, chief
administrative officer for justice, equity, diversity, and
inclusion at Huntsman Mental Health Institute. "We're proud to
launch the 'Love, Your Mind' campaign with an initial focus on
reaching Black and Latino men, acknowledging their experiences, and
offering them the mental health tips and resources to help them
thrive in life."
"There's a mental health crisis in our country that has been
laid bare by the challenges of the last several years: the COVID
pandemic, economic uncertainty, and the ongoing movement for racial
justice," said Lisa Sherman,
president and CEO of the Ad Council. "With the 'Love, Your Mind'
campaign, we are offering people inspiration and actionable steps
they can take to make their mental health a priority and experience
how that benefits every area of their lives."
The message of "Love, Your Mind" inspires individuals to nurture
their relationship with their minds the same way they care for
their closest personal relationships. The campaign's creative
assets were developed pro bono by creative agencies FCB New York
and FCB Chicago and directed by award-winning director Calmatic.
The project was co-produced by project3 and Prettybird. Plural* is
also producing audio spots in both English and Spanish.
"Supporting your mental health must be normalized," said
Mike Williams, Executive Creative
Director, FCB New York. "It must – because your mind is the most
valuable asset you have and caring for it, nurturing it,
strengthening it, can ultimately get you to where you want to go in
life."
All "Love, Your Mind" PSAs and activations promote
LoveYourMindToday.org, a new website that helps individuals explore
specific emotions and scenarios that can affect their mental
health, along with suggesting self-care strategies and coping
practices. The website also features stories from a variety of
people reflecting on how they have navigated their own challenges,
assuring site visitors that they are not alone in their
struggles.
Beginning today, the campaign will appear nationwide in
advertising inventory made possible by donations from the media,
including TV, radio, out-of-home (OOH) and digital formats. Pro
bono support will be provided by iHeartMedia, Kargo, PatientPoint,
Phreesia, Pinterest (with custom creative developed by VidMob's
creative intelligence technology) and TikTok (with creator content
facilitated by Whalar), among others. Additionally, a robust
collaboration with RAB will also extend the reach of the campaign
to radio stations across the United
States. IPG Mediabrands is the media agency of record, as an
extension of IPG's longstanding support of the Ad Council's mental
health efforts.
Adobe has also donated Adobe Express Premium Plan subscriptions
for use in developing campaign assets, allowing campaign partners
to amplify the message of "Love, Your Mind" by accessing custom
Adobe Express templates to easily design and share content.
Stephen A. Smith (host of The
Stephen A. Smith Show) and Eric
Bigger (personal development coach and host of "Bigger
Talks" podcast) are among the influential voices who have committed
to amplifying the campaign through their platforms.
To complement mass media reach through the national PSAs, the
campaign has also partnered with agencies who have deep expertise
in engaging the Black community (House of JOY), Hispanic community
(Latinovations) and the faith community (Values Partnerships).
Upcoming activations developed in partnership with community-based
organizations and leaders include:
- A mental health summit in New York
City on November 9, developed
in partnership with iHeartMedia, which will feature remarks from
Charlamagne tha God, Dramos, Q Ward, and Ramses Ja, inviting
talent, creators, brands and advertising and media industry leaders
to create content on behalf of the campaign
- A "Mann to Man®… Love, Your Mind" series on MannTV, hosted by
actor and comedian David Mann in
conversation with Anthony Evans,
Kirk Franklin, Lance Gross and Israel
Houghton, debuting on November
9
- A first-of-its-kind mental health e-learning hub for faith
leaders, launching on November 14
with a virtual symposium hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes
- Spoken-word poetry PSAs created in collaboration with the "How
Sweet the Sound" gospel music competition, which will be released
in November
- A special event hosted by Mike
Alfaro, creator of "Millennial Lotería," that welcomes
actors, comedians and influencers @MexicanGueys and @LGNDFRVR for
"Entre Hermanos (Between Brothers) …Love, Your Mind," which will
air on LATV (Latino Alternative Television) platforms in early
December
- Ongoing partnership with NAACP, including promotion of this
summer's mental health panel featured on The Hub mainstage at the
NAACP national convention
The "Love, Your Mind" PSAs and resources were developed by
Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council in
consultation with a panel of experts. The campaign is also
supported by leading mental health organizations including the
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American
Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association,
the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Meadows Mental
Health Policy Institute, Mental Health America, National Alliance
on Mental Illness, National Association for Behavioral Healthcare,
National Association of Social Workers, the National Council for
Mental Wellbeing, Peg's Foundation, Steinberg Institute, The Jed
Foundation and The Kennedy Forum.
"Love, Your Mind" is the latest effort from the Ad Council's
Mental Health Initiative, which unites brands, marketers, media
companies and nonprofits to address the mental health crisis
throughout the U.S. The initiative is supported by a generous
founding investment from Huntsman Mental Health Institute, with
additional contributions from Adobe.
The initiative's Mental Health Toolkit – developed with and
for community leaders, grassroots groups and mental health
nonprofits to advance their work on mental health – is now
available to the public with community-specific fact sheets,
messaging guidelines and downloadable social assets. Resources for
employers to support mental health in the workplace are also
available through the Health Action Alliance, a joint initiative of
the Ad Council, the CDC Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation
in partnership with Meteorite.
For more information on the campaign and to access free mental
health resources, visit LoveYourMindToday.org or follow the
campaign on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
ABOUT HUNTSMAN MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTE
Huntsman Mental
Health Institute at University of Utah
Health brings together 75 years of patient care, research, and
education into one of the nation's leading academic medical centers
focused on mental health. Nestled in the campus of University of Utah, Huntsman Mental Health
Institute serves the community with 1,600 faculty and staff in 20
locations providing inpatient and outpatient services for youth,
teens and adults as well as a comprehensive crisis care model which
includes the nationally recognized SafeUT app and the 988 crisis
hotline for Utah. Our mission is
to advance mental health knowledge, hope and healing for all. Learn
more at HMHI.utah.edu and join the conversation
on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok,
X and LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE AD COUNCIL
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and
uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and
accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America.
Since the non-profit's founding, the organization and its partners
in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of
the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to
Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more.
With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid
epidemic, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad
Council's national campaigns encompass advertising and media
content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and
influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other
innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important
issues of the day.
In November 2022, the Ad Council
announced a new Mental Health Initiative, uniting brands,
marketers, media companies and nonprofits to address the mental
health crisis throughout the U.S. at scale. With a founding
investment from Huntsman Mental Health Institute, the multi-year
initiative aims to change social norms and create a society that is
more open, accepting and proactive when it comes to mental
health.
To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad
Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, and
view campaign creative on YouTube.
ABOUT FCB
FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global,
award-winning and integrated marketing communications company with
a heritage of creativity and success dating from 1873. Named Cannes
Lions 2022 #2 Global Network, 2022 Ad Age A-List,
2022 Fast Company Most Innovative, Cannes Lions
2020/2021 Global Network of the Year, Adweek 2020
Global Agency of the Year and the #1 Global Network on The Good
Report, FCB focuses on creating Never
Finished campaign ideas that have the power to transform
brands, businesses and communities. With more than 8,000 people in
109 operations in 80 countries, the company is part of the
Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG).
Visit fcb.com or follow @FCBglobal
on Instagram and X and FCB Global
on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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