I can’t make up my mind between these too, so suggestions are welcome.

Idea 1.

My idea for the campaign would be aimed more at friends and family of those suffering with mental health issues.  With this idea, I am trying to bring recognition to the severity of mental illness.  I was thinking of something around the lines of “you wouldn’t tell a cancer patient to go for a run, get a hobby or just get over it would you?”. I am aware that this is playing off a guilt, but I think it’s a catchy line because most people would not say that to a cancer patient but would say that to someone suffering with mental health issues.  I don’t really have a firm grasp on the images but someone (preferable a teen) would be sitting in the middle of the scene, with two people ( ages don’t matter here) standing over them arms opened in frustrated shrugged position looking down at the kid as if to say, “just get over it”.  They could be holding running shoes or a puzzle to make the point. I think this message is important because it communicates the seriousness of mental health issues by comparing it something that respected in our community as something serious.  We could than enter in some facts about suicide and mental illness, or the effect of mental illness ( money wise ) on our economy or health systems.  This can be similarly adapted to the commercial, we could first show the audience  someone who looks very ill possibly with someone that resembles a breathing apparatus or anything that makes it obvious that this person is sick. Then, have someone enter who is obviously mad and yells “ I’m sick of you acting like this why can’t you just get over it already” with a similar caption to the poster at the end of it. I think it will also be important to mention that because of lack of education in the general community the seriousness or signs of mental illness are not easily recognized by the community(?) so it doesn’t seem make people feel too guilty.

Idea 2

My second idea was to create something aimed at people who are currently experiencing mental health issues and possibly their family members. Playing on the idea of the “treatment that right for you”  idea that was mentioned in the first meeting, it would be comparing what people perceive as their options to aid in recovery and what the options actually are.  I am imagining something like a client speaking to a therapist, with a bunch of pill bottles on the floor.  The client will be staring out of the window no really paying attention to the therapist.   The caption could say “ just because it’s what your told to take, who you are told to talk too, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Speak up! Pick a new therapist, ask for different medication or  find something healthy that makes you feel better! Take charge of your recovery”.  A video could show someone walking away from a traditional therapist ( i.e. with the couch closed book approach, lots of med bottles on the floor still if you want)  and walking into a office of someone who looks more trendy and has a more open book client centered therapy approach. Possibly even a group peer therapy approach.

By Alicia