Men encouraged to challenge stereotypes with national ‘BOYS DO CRY’ campaign via The Hallway
A nationwide campaign challenging societal views that men should always put on a brave front launches today, with a transformed version of The Cure’s iconic song ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, created by The Hallway.
Releasing as both a music video – produced by Good Oil and directed by Tom Campbell – and a single, ‘BOYS DO CRY’ is the brainchild of independent advertising agency The Hallway, created in partnership with The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Mental Health, mental fitness foundation Gotcha4Life and Heiress Films, the team behind the Gus Worland-hosted ABC TV series Man Up, with support from media, marketing and creative social purpose organisation, UnLtd and media agency Initiative.
BOYS DO CRY is released today and is anticipated to be one of the most significant men’s mental health campaigns Australia has seen. The release will include a comprehensive campaign of videos, posters, outdoor advertising, radio ads and a campaign website, developed by The Hallway.
The transformation of the song aims to encourage men to challenge traditional masculine stereotypes, reach out to those around them, check in with their mates, and reinforce the message that connecting and opening up is not just healthy – it can be the difference between living and dying.
At the core of the campaign is a film, brought to life by Good Oil’s Tom Campbell, featuring a choir of 30 men from all walks of life and backgrounds, and from diverse communities. Included in the key cast is stand out recording artist and MC, Dallas Woods, a Noongar man from the East Kimberley, and actor Eddie Baroo (The Dry, Mr Inbetween, Mystery Road).
Every day in Australia, an average of seven men take their own lives. Suicide kills three times more Australian men than road accidents and is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-49. Nearly one in five men will experience a mental health issue like anxiety or depression in a given year, but most blokes find it hard to ask for help when they’re down, and instead try to “man up” and keep their problems to themselves.
A team from the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Mental Health led by Professor Jane Pirkis and Dr Angela Nicholas have run a research program on the video with a control group of men, looking at whether it influences men’s likelihood of reaching out for help if they are facing tough times.
“We know that 75% of all suicides are by males, and that one of the things that may be influencing this is the pressure society places on boys and men to be self-reliant and solve problems by themselves. Our work is challenging some of these traditional masculine norms and looking at whether this may help to bring down the male suicide rate,” said Professor Pirkis.
A banner campaign featuring the campaign line ‘When the going gets tough, get talking’, will launch with the video. It asks community groups around Australia including Rotary, CWA, Men’s Sheds and Lions Club, to invite their communities to make their own banner to hang in their community hall, sports club, council chambers or local meeting place.
The Hallway’s partner and executive creative director Simon Lee felt compelled to get the campaign’s message ‘When the going gets tough, get talking’ out to the world after experiencing first-hand the positive benefits of reaching out for help after several tough years battling anxiety.
Lee, the driving force behind the project and author of the reimagined lyrics, said: “Going and telling my GP that I was suffering from anxiety was more nerve-racking than any pitch presentation I have ever had to make. But admitting my vulnerability and reaching out for help is one of the best things I have ever done. My hope is that this campaign will help give other people the strength to do the same.
“This has been three years in the making and I want to thank everyone who has willingly given their counsel, time, resources and funding to make it a reality.”
Rachel Troy, chief operating officer at UnLtd, added: “We are really delighted at how this project has come together. It’s a really good example of what we do best at UnLtd, which is to bring our industry partners together to rally around a common cause. This issue affects us all and it’s one that requires attention and focus like this so that we are working towards a more mentally healthy supportive society.’’
Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative, said: “I’m so proud of the Initiative team for leaning in to work hand-in-hand with our valued media partners to back this campaign. The stats clearly show why this cause is so important and the incredible support we’ve already garnered from the industry to build awareness for this campaign is invaluable.”
For more information on the film and the campaign, go to BoysDoCry.com.au
Creative Agency: The Hallway
Executive Creative Director: Simon Lee
Creative Director: Aldo Ferretto
Copywriters: Simon Lee, Tim Wood
Art Director: Aldo Ferretto
Producer: Carolyn Starkey
CEO: Jules Hall
Account Director: Chris Murphy
Head of Strategy: Tim Mottau
Comms Strategist: Mat Rawnsley
Special thanks to Hannah Sturrock, Iain MacMillan.
Media agency: Initiative
Sound Production: Uncanny Valley
Music Supervision: Charlton Hill
Music Producer: Justin Shave
Audio Post: Matt Perrott
Film Production: Good Oil
Director: Tom Campbell
Producer: Catherine Warner
Executive Producer: Sam Long
Musical Director/Arranger: Cameron Bruce
Director of Photography: Sam Chiplin
Editor: Phoebe Taylor @ Arc Edit
Colourist: Olivier Fontenay
Online: Arc Edit
Gotcha 4 Life
Founder/Director: Gus Worland
Head of Program Delivery: Vicky Worland
General Manager: Simon Hamilton
Head of Marketing & Communications: Savannah Fielder
Heiress Films
Executive Producer: Jennifer Cummins
Impact Producer: Jackie Turnure
Publicist: Hannah Watkins
Website Designer/Developer: Elle Williams
Impact Coordinator: Harrison Lochtenberg
Social Media Coordinator: Abbey Cummins
Casting: Kirsty de Vallance, A Cast of Thousands
Production Accountant: Bronwyn Speziale
Legals: Stephen Boyle
UnLtd
CEO: Chris Freel
Chief Operating Officer: Rachel Troy
Head of Industry Partnerships: Saarika Shah
35 Comments
Well done!
Just as our physical health fluctuates throughout our lives, so too does our mental health.
Until we ALL start talking, openly and honestly, about our mental health, the stigma associated with mental health issues will continue to prevail.
Men tend to complain about women talking too much.
Women tend to complain about men not talking enough.
Boys, please start talking about your emotions, you may be surprised at how much it helps and improves your well being.
Thank you for this campaign.
When we sang and recorded the Boys Do Cry song with our men’s Choir Voice Male, the significance of this campaign did not sink in for me. It’s only through hearing the song over and over again, and listening to responses it creates that it daunts on me how powerful this campaign can be in changing paradigms and core beliefs. Well done to all involved, let’s hope it has a material effect on men in society.
That has to be my favourite piece of work of the year. Maybe the last two. So well done. I felt it deeply.
Sam Chiplin bringing that dramatic lensing too. Masterful.
I teared up.
How’d they get those rights!
Well done Tom!!!!
Beautifully directed work. Congrats to all involved.
…if this film doesn’t move you. Thank you to everyone who had a hand in this campaign for reminding us that vulnerability is a virtue and a strength.
Where was the dancing?
Incredible work. So beautifully done.
This is such a moving piece. Beautifully and sensitively directed. Congratulations to all involved!
Yep, that’s good….
And the elephant in the room (the bias in the courts) remains silent. Somewhat ironic in an age that seemingly wants to talk about equality. No reflection on the work – just calling out one of the massive sources behind the stats cited. If you want men to talk, you need a system that’s prepared to listen.
Tough brief to execute well. Congrats team
Thank you.
Epic.. great in every way. Be proud of this one all involved
Love this. Well Done Jules & Team.
Watching this. Well done boys.
Love this. Well done Simon and team.
… not directly after sex.
Bravo Tom and team. this is sick!
Would be different outcome for this brief in the wrong hands. But this is beautifully and sensitively directed, cast, arranged and executed. An important message too. Well done to this team.
so beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful stuff.
Bloody nice work!
Stunning. Congrats to all involved.
Hats off to all involved.
Much needed in this country, too.
That’s fabulous. It’s the first time, in quite some time, i’ve watched something long-form all the way through on here. Hopefully the channel planning goes beyond static visuals and activates the song in some way. Congratulations all involved.
That’s really good. Beautiful directed too. Well done all.
Chills. Congrats to all involved.
Well done Ms Starkey. Brava.
I watched this last night sitting next to my 5 year old, who was glued to ‘iPad hour’. He glanced over briefly then went back to what he was doing. Later, as his Dad put him to bed, I heard him say “Daddy, do you cry? What about? What does it look like?” This is impactful, important work. Well done.
Amazing, amazing, amazing.
Well done. Beautiful work, that makes us all feel something.
N
Wow. For such a tragically important issue, this is terribly cringeworthy creative.
Hopefully this cheesy inspiration-porn inspires someone to think of a idea that might actually impact the perspective of men who are having suicidal thoughts (or people close to them). Because, unfortunately, I have doubts that gratuitous sing-a-long is going to have the intended effect.
Who hurt you mate? So much hate and toxicity.
aaaaand wtf r u doing? lol stfu