The mindyourmind multi-media street team is a group of youth who have committed to promote positive messages and decrease stigma around the issues of mental health. Follow them along on their journey with mindyourmind through weekly blogs!

The Multi-Media Street Team is sponsored by the Libro Financial Group

Last week's meeting held quite a few discussions, from buses to Pee Wee Herman. The bulk, however, was devoted to discussing different PSA's, how they're used and how effective they are. We saw some pretty great ones which stuck with me thus far. Anti-bullying campaigns have been springing up all over the country given recent suicides from students that were being bullied. Given that PSA's usually stick to what the biggest issue is at the time, many of them have been about bullying. Clips such as the ones we saw (like one where a girl goes through the first few days of school and everyday she comes home with a new word she had been called. She creates a great metaphor by writing these words on her face so that we, the audience, see what she is being called) get great messages out, but are they effective?

It was discussed at the meeting that as soon as that "old man" voice comes on the TV, we automatically turn the channel (we're watching TV for shows, not to be preached at). PSA's now, however, have been branching away from that. One that we watched had a youth speaking as the over voice. Another problem is either being too serious, or too easy on the subject. The fact is that one can not possibly give two opinions in a two minute video, but this is why we have so much air time. We have twenty four hours, for Pete's sake! Thus, some PSA's may not feel applicable to the public as a whole.

This brings up another concern that involves the target demographic (the population that one wants to speak to through the ad). There's so much diversity in Canada, let alone London, that it would be very difficult to address all sexualities, all races, all people and all subjects in the demographic. Multiple ads must, obviously, be created to incorporate different aspects and views of the population as a whole. For example, if we wanted to talk about stress and how people can deal with it, do we target those more prone to get it, or those who need more information on it. 

All in all, it is quite difficult to create the perfect PSA. But one must remember the impact it has on the world. One message could change it all around for a group, a country or a person. All one needs to do is try.

- by Ashlynn