AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION
Creating mental health advocates IRL
Turning awareness into action, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention inspired advocates across the country to demand more resources and support for mental health.
Services
Campaign Strategy
Theme & Messaging
Visual Identity
Brand Guidelines
Website
Social Media
Campaign Strategy
Theme & Messaging
Visual Identity
Brand Guidelines
Website
Social Media
Ultravirgo project team
Schuyler Bush
Marina Csomor
Patrick Durgin-Bruce
Cynthia Escalante
Benjamin Tuttle
Glenn Westrom
Schuyler Bush
Marina Csomor
Patrick Durgin-Bruce
Cynthia Escalante
Benjamin Tuttle
Glenn Westrom
Studies show that one in five Americans will experience a mental health condition this year, and 50 percent will experience one in their lifetime. For Mental Health Awareness Month, we worked with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to mobilize its community to demand more for mental health, both online and off.
CHALLENGE
Mental health resources are not widely accessible in the United States, and require legislation to improve funding and access. Lack of mental health support can lead to suicidal ideation and death, especially in vulnerable or marginalized populations. Although discussions of mental health have become more accepted in recent years, this openness has not translated into political advocacy or direct calls for change.
KEY INSIGHT
Thousands of individuals self-identify as advocates for mental health, and may even work for social change on a personal level, such as putting “mental health advocate” in their social media bios or sparking conversations within their peer groups. But most do not actively participate on a civic level – whether community, local, state, or federal – or even know where to start.
THE BIG IDEA
Use Mental Health Awareness Month not for awareness, but advocacy.
Loud and clear
In collaboration with the AFSP team, we created the campaign rallying cry #MoreForMentalHealth, and an overall narrative focused on demands for five key issues that the organization is championing – more accessible and affordable care, more school-based education, more funding for 988, more provider support and more lifesaving research – in order to improve mental health for all of us.
Rallying together
The campaign launched with an open letter published in the New York Times featuring leading mental health organizations partnering in the call for legislative change. Throughout the month, ongoing efforts were focused online, with regular posts across AFSP social media channels, and in collaboration with influencers and brand partners, including internationally acclaimed writer and performer ALOK and the NFL Players Association.
DIY advocacy
The campaign microsite includes a custom demand-artwork “generator” – encouraging participation through personalization, with user control over message and visuals – that produces shareable digital posts to amplify the community’s calls to action. To make it easy to get started in advocacy, the site includes clear links for finding local events and supporting key legislation, alongside a Public Policy Action Center that facilitates contacting your government representatives directly.
Capturing the urgency and the determination of this important advocacy, we designed a bold campaign that utilizes vibrant contrasting colors and an all-caps variable font that stretches and condenses to allow headlines and demands to fill the space as large, loud, and proud as possible.
Sample graphics created and shared by users
IMPACT
Through the advocacy awareness and education championed by the campaign, thousands of mental health advocates were galvanized to make real demands both online and direct to legislators, converting passive support to active participation. Over 8,000 letters were sent to Congress and media outlets, and over 1,500 people signed up to become AFSP Field Advocates.
8,000
letters sent
letters sent
1,500
new Field Advocates
new Field Advocates
