#FunFactFriday – What is Mental Health Awareness Month
April is officially coming to a close and with May upon us comes National Mental Health Awareness Month.
This month is centered around raising awareness on the importance of mental health, advocating for legislation supporting individuals with mental illness and breaking the stigma.
It is not uncommon for organizations to use these nationally recognized health observances to raise awareness around topics of interest in the community. These news hooks provide an opportunity to establish your organization and leadership as a thought-leader.
Here are some national mental health campaigns from brands that made a difference and helped support those struggling with mental health.
Jansport #LightenTheLoad Campaign
This campaign from Jansport targeted Generation Z and was created to help guide teenagers through their mental health journey while offering helpful resources along the way. In this campaign, Jansport had conversations with both teenagers and mental health experts about the significance of taking care of your mental health, especially after this past year. The strongest part of this campaign is the podcasts and videos they created with teens who openly discussed the struggles they have faced and how they are coping with them. Jansport was able to tap into Gen Z with this campaign by utilizing authentic content with real people.
AXE’s Find Your Magic Campaign
In 2017, AXE launched this campaign that encouraged men to break the cycle of toxic masculinity that can have a negative impact on male mental health. The ads for this campaign aimed to inspire men to drop harmful male stereotypes and find confidence in their self-expression. It also featured male influencers who told stories of their own experiences. Aside from helping break the stigma of mental health, AXE donated to three non-profits that support gender equality, representation and mental health.
Heads Up Campaign
Another campaign centered around normalizing mental health discussions was the UK Royal Foundation Heads Up Campaign with The Football Association. This successful campaign motivated individuals to discuss mental health as regularly and normally as they would discuss football, or what we call soccer. The campaign produced multiple films centered around mental health and raised funds for mental health initiatives. The powerful campaign and cosign from the Royal’s created a positive impact that lasted long beyond a single football season.
