As of 2018, 27% of adults worldwide believed that mental health is one of the biggest health problems facing their country – coming third to just cancer and obesity. Since then, the world hasn’t been very friendly to its inhabitants, what we’ve seen with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as conflicts and natural disasters, among other things. It’s no wonder good mental health has risen in importance as a value, especially in the younger age groups (Gen Z are most worried about their mental health and most value a work/life balance).

With mental health issues becoming more open and increasing in importance, it is no surprise that brands are incorporating the topic into their marketing campaigns.

However, this is a tricky topic. A brand’s key aim should be to build an emotional connection with its target base. While showing understanding regarding mental health can be a fast-track way to build a connection, it can go very wrong if a certain level of sensitivity and knowledge is not shown.

The year 2021 has already seen an increase in mental health marketing campaigns, and no doubt this will continue. This article aims to help brands continue on the right track. Keep reading for non-negotiables for your mental health marketing campaigns, as well as some brand examples to follow – and those to avoid.

Four non-negotiables for your mental health campaigns

Your campaign must be empathetic and honest
Some 70% of people in the UK don’t trust what they see on social media. That includes brand campaigns and influencer collaborations. There are many reasons for this: changing values for the brand/influencer, photoshopped images, and inconsistent messaging, to name a few. Your target audience will certainly see through a sales pitch preying on their insecurities dressed up as true concern.

To get around this issue, make sure your efforts around mental health go beyond one campaign. Incorporate them into your corporate responsibility, how you treat your employees, and your long-term strategy for using your company to make the world a better place.

Be sure to do your research also. Be 100% confident that you truly understand the mental health concerns of your target audience and have a viable way to help relieve them. Do not presume you know what they want.

Focus on one area
Working on a topic that can actually make a difference is exhilarating and will often entice you to dive in head-first. While the enthusiasm is great, this can also result in misdirection and spreading yourself too thin. To really make an impact with your mental health marketing, pick one area to focus on and do it well.

In the same way that you spend time determining who your target audience is, spend time determining what is the area of mental health closest to that audience’s heart. It can make all the difference. For instance, while middle-aged, white men are most at risk of suicide, entrepreneurs are more likely to suffer from stress and loneliness. Both groups require different messaging to get that emotional connection.

Don’t make a statement – start a conversation
Similar to the point above, you will not build a connection with your audience based on one statement in a campaign. Sadly, mental health is still considered taboo in 2021. However, people of all ages are pushing against that lobbying for better mental health care treatment and for the topic to be spoken about publicly without judgment or condemnation.

One “it will be ok” or “we understand” statement from your brand is not enough to build an emotional connection. What you need is to use your platform to start a conversation around mental health, whether that being giving people a safe space to speak, providing key data, normalizing the conversation, or using your influence to make a change in culture or even legislature.

It may sound like a lot of work but it will have a benefit for your brand: 85% of people say they would be likely to buy products and services from brands that they felt supported their wellbeing.

Don’t do it alone
One way to go very wrong when it comes to mental health marketing is going alone. Unless you have a (qualified) mental health expert working at your company, you won’t have the necessary data, understanding, or wording to really make a difference.

Resolve this by partnering with an outside organization. Experts in the field of mental health can help you avoid stereotypes and using the wrong visuals and wording, and can also provide you with key data that will help you build a more informed strategy. In addition, partnering with experts can increase consumers’ trust in your brand, as well as help you maintain relevance in the topic.

Brands that got mental health marketing right

Instagram
In 2019, Instagram launched the #HereForYou project. It was built on the use of the social media platform to share journeys and experiences, as well as connect with like-minded people. The aim was to encourage existing mental health communities to better support one another and find the right help.

The campaign included a one-minute video of Instagram users sharing their stories. It used the #HereForYou, which was already a popular hashtag, to gain traction and awareness.

The campaign was a success for Instagram as it didn’t push the product but instead supported and provided a safe space for its users.

Monki
Monki, a fashion brand with a young consumer base, launched a campaign to raise awareness of the impact social media can have on mental health. Rather than go at it alone, they teamed up with Mental Health Europe and became part of a bigger campaign on empowering women to speak openly on topics important to them.

The three-part video campaign, entitled ‘All The Feels’ saw influencers and mental health advocates discuss their positive and negative experiences with social media. They also released a limited edition clothing line made up of hats and hoodies featuring Velcro-adhesive slogans such as ‘Worrier’ and ‘Bad Day’, which can be added or removed depending on the wearer’s mood.

‘All The Feels’ was a success because it focused on one key area of mental health, social media as a trigger, and provided an outlet for people to discuss it openly.

Brands that got mental health marketing wrong

Burger King
Back in 2019, Burger King got it wrong when they released ‘Real Meals’, color-coded meals for less-positive moods. A play on McDonald’s ‘Happy Meals’, the aim of the campaign was to highlight the fact that not everybody is happy all the time.

Released to correspond with Mental Health Awareness Month, the campaign was swiftly discarded as insensitive and downplaying mental health. Also, as one Tweeter described, it was more of a dig at McDonald’s than a genuine attempt to start a conversation.

Final thoughts

If there is one thing you take away from this article, it’s that you shouldn’t embark on mental health marketing until you have a well-researched and fact-driven strategy. While mental health marketing can have a huge, positive impact when done right, it can be a real kick in the teeth if done wrong.

Remember, mental health is an increasing value for many people worldwide – including your target audience. These same people have a decreasing tolerance for fakeness and brands playing on their insecurities. If you truly want to build an emotional connection with your target audience, think sincerely and long-term. Don’t be a one-trick pony – and a bad trick at that.

Cover image source: Anthony Tran