New ads for Partners for Mental Health aim to raise awareness about mental health in the workplace.
The new work, created by Toronto agency Capital C, consists of one cinema spot and one 30-second radio ad that drive audiences to NotMyselfToday.ca, a site designed to kick-start conversations and awareness surrounding mental health in the workplace.
The cinema spot features a woman who walks in on a co-worker having a breakdown in a washroom stall, hesitating, then finding an excuse to leave. The radio ad uses a similar tactic.
“We wanted to present a situation that would put someone in that person’s shoes,” said Gary Watson, executive creative director at Capital C. Since we don’t see the woman in the stall, “it could be your boss, it could be your work friend, or it could be someone you don’t know. We wanted it to be very personal. We wanted people to feel how awkward the situation is.”
There has been a distinct uptick in PSA and marketing messages focusing on mental health. Partners for Mental Health’s various targeted campaigns have been backed by campaigns such as Bell’s “Let’s Talk.”
Watson points out that 20 years ago, cancer was something people only whispered about. “Now, everyone knows someone who knows someone with cancer because it’s open. People talk about it,” which reduced the stigma of the disease.
“We’re still at the infancy stages of dialogue around mental health,” Watson said. “It’s becoming more normalized, but we’re not there yet. Maybe soon we will be able to have conversations without feeling uncomfortable.”
