0
print impressions
0
DOOH impressions
0
click through rate
Challenge
In the UK, 12 men take their own lives each day, and suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45. Statistics link rising men’s mental health issues to an oppressive gender stereotype which is now reinforced through social media, forcing men to hide their vulnerabilities.
What if we could use digital to help men break free from the oppressive stereotypes compounded by social media?
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being focuses on the major factors that influence the health of men worldwide which includes mental health as a priority. The overwhelming majority of suicides worldwide are by men, so how do we make the issues around mental health for men more accessible?
Solution
Dentsu Aegis Network agency we created a powerful creative campaign for International Men’s Day asking people to take a closer look at images of stereotypical masculinity.
The objective of the CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) campaign was to challenge the damaging and unattainable masculine stereotypes we see across social media and beyond. Social media, with its focus on presenting one’s ‘best self’ can affect self-esteem and increase depression, so by peeling back the filters and seeing the real man behind the picture, social media can be made into a positive point of intervention.
The #ChangeThePicture campaign focused on changing the picture of male mental health, featuring an Instagram gallery of 12 men who shared photos of themselves on social media looking like the picture of masculinity - but privately struggling with severe mental health issues. And we invited people to take a closer look at the man behind the picture.
Result
Our collaboration to #ChangeThePicture resulted in almost £400,000 in saved ad spend, 7 million print impressions, and 250,000 Digital Out-of-Home impressions, a click through rate of up to 5.1%, and even garnering MP support.
More importantly, it helped to start freeing men from unattainable ideals of masculinity, and led to men sharing their stories online:
The sustainability of the idea was integral to the work so International Men’s Day was not a one-off stunt. The Dentsu Aegis partnership with CALM is ongoing and we are already working on #ChangethePicture 2.0 plus the introduction of ‘CALM Companies’ into our brands. We want to build a digital economy that is better for everyone.
“I feel massively liberated for telling people about my struggles, and massively pleased that it has helped people in similar circumstances. I met up with a couple of people I know that are going through such struggles currently, they hadn't told anyone else in the past."
MKTG: Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada
How do you celebrate 20 years of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada? By bringing the celebration to Canada’s beautiful Yellowknife and uniting Canadians coast to coast with the Spark Rink....
GoalKeepers17: Rallying around Global Goals
As part of Common Ground, all of its members have committed to raise awareness of the SDGs amongst businesses and consumers and to work together, in multi-stakeholder partnerships, to support th...
dentsumcgarrybowen: Heart Foundation
Everyone thinks they know what a heart attack looks like, but they’re almost always wrong as it’s rarely dramatic at all. This campaign by Barnes, Catmur & Friends in New Zealand drew attent...
Malaria No More: A movement to end malaria
The #MalariaMustDie campaign has been supported by a range of agencies both inside and outside the Dentsu Aegis Network with the end goal being to rally the public support for political action o...
Isobar & Carat: Dis-Moi Elliot
Dis-Moi Elliot (translated as Tell Me, Elliot) was a campaign that aimed to reduce prejudice about autism through an innovative, interactive and experimental website.
360i: Change the Picture
The #ChangeThePicture campaign focused on changing the picture of male mental health, featuring an Instagram gallery of 12 men who shared photos of themselves on social media looking like the pi...
gyro: Snuffed Out Marine Life
The Surfrider Foundation ran a campaign to raise awareness of the issue of cigarette butt litter and the effect that this litter has on our coasts and waterways.
dentsumcgarrybowen: Dead Whale
With the Philippines being the 3rd biggest ocean polluter and with an increasing number of whales washing up on shores with plastics in their stomachs, the campaign aimed to raise awareness and ...
dentsu X: No Frills
Saving big on groceries isn’t just about the glory — or is it? Following the success of the Haulers Campaign in 2018, we brought Haulers a fun way to earn real PC Optimum points online.
dentsumcgarrybowen: Brita Walkumentary
Having the ability to ‘skip the unpleasant’ is a privilege for some — but not for all. Brita and ME To WE needed a digital campaign to remind North Americans just how far one purchase can go.