Te Hiringa Hauora/HPA takes a new approach to youth mental health in new campaign ‘How To Do Nothing’ via FCB New Zealand
It’s a confronting fact that Aotearoa has the highest youth suicide rate in the developed world. Young people in NZ are exhibiting high levels of mental distress, with a third of those young people not receiving support in the way they need. Te Hiringa Hauora (now Te Whatu Ora) and FCB set out to understand the most effective ways young Kiwis facing mental health struggles could be supported by their peers.
Traditionally, communication campaigns around this subject are targeted at the person suffering mental health issues, and not their support network. This approach could often be met with little or no engagement, as the sufferer is not inclined to take action; a major marker of deteriorating mental health: an unfortunate Catch-22.
But research suggested that, whilst young people desperately want to help their friends, they often don’t feel equipped to do so. They don’t realise support doesn’t need to be a full-on conversation and that just hanging out/being there is an extremely effective way to start helping.
Targeting the most vulnerable age range of 15 – 19, workshops with rangitahi were conducted which explored this insight. The research findings were resoundingly confirmed and so ‘How To Do Nothing’ was created.
Says Leisa Wall and Peter Vegas, co-ECDs, FCB: “This job is very close to our hearts. It’s such an important issue and this was a chance to talk to the people in need in a new way. At first glance the idea might seem counter intuitive, especially for people outside the target audience, but for us the reward has been the response from the kids this work is made for.”
Says Bronwyn Mildon, senior marketing lead at Te Whatu Ora: “How To Do Nothing is a campaign developed with young people, for young people – to remind them that they can help by just being there and by doing nothing together. Who would have thought it could be so important to do nothing together?”
The campaign consists of five 60” online films, three 60” TVCs, Spotify and radio ads voiced by Kura star Dahnu Graham, Twitch partnerships, and a presence on Instagram and TikTok. And directs viewers to TheLowdown.co.nz where they can get more information and resources.
26 Comments
I know some creatives/ECDs who will make work like this over and over.
The guy above clearly doesn’t smile a lot.
I liked these. The 60s probably feel just a touch too long for the every day punter but i saw the humour in drawing out the awkwardness.
Nice work team.
Boomer alert! I like it.
Not a boomer. Just someone who knows a few who will create work so bad like this.
What did ‘a few so bad who will create work like this’ do to you mate?
If not a boomer, someone who should download grammarly.
I like this a lot. Smart strat, funny ads, good take out. Bravo.
Not just the craft but the simple message
These are epic.
To the ‘not a boomer’ up the top, bitter much? What did these mystery creatives/ECDs do to you mate?
This is cool.
The insight is bang on. We’ve all forgotten how to do nothing. And most ads these days are all trying to do way too much.
First commenter probably guilty of the latter.
Fresh AF strat and execution (no one wants to ask r u ok?)
Sorry to FCB, but implying “do nothing” has to be one of the dumbest campaigns for mental health and suicide prevention imaginable. Seriously have a think about what that might sound like to someone in crisis. You have got to be insane to think this is a reasoned strategy.
Is a stupid comment.
Mine’s bigger than yours.
Did you actually watch them? Or just get riled up over the name? It couldn’t be any clearer that they’re targeting friends of people in crisis to go and hang out with their mates.
Of course I watched them. So just hang out with your mate eating peanuts and they’re magically cured right? Because it’s literally loneliness? And there in lies NZ’s mental health principle problem… no one takes it seriously. Do nothing. You’re right, I’m riled up because this messaging is critical, they’re not selling more candy bars ffs.
I think you’ve somehow missed the point here. No one’s saying it’s a magical cure. It’s a way to start helping. Good thing high school students can understand it.
Oh sure. Everyone will understand. Business as usual… apathy. I get that it’s targeting the young person’s support network. Great. Those young people suffering depression, low self worth, eating disorders, etc… they’ll be thrilled knowing the advice to others is “do nothing together”. Definitely put’s their struggle into perspective for them huh. And if they find that demeaning, who cares right… they’re already depressed. Well done everybody, great job!
http://www.lifeline.org.nz/
Good stuff. Throwing out a lifeline link as a dig. Because it’s a joke.
Those young people you refer to were actually the ones who first told us ‘just being there’ is the single most powerful way their friends can begin to help. This thought is backed by clinical research and continually rose to the top through rounds of testing with teenagers. But feel free to keep arguing.
Yeah, cool. I’ve an idea for your next campaign… “She’ll be right, mate.” The concept: We get to the heart of the issues by reminding everyone that it’s all okay just so long as someone says… she’ll be right, mate. Thoughts?
I’ve fixed your typo…
“Those young people you refer to were actually the ones who first told us ‘my friend doing nothing with me’ is the single most powerful way their friends can begin to help.”
You got there in the end.
Not me, you might have. I’m sure having those young people contending with mental health challenges tell you the solution to their problem felt good, but that’s created a cohort effect. They’re working within the parameters of what they know. We’d not expect medically ill patients to know the complex medical treatment they require, they’d likely say having people around is their most powerful elixir too. Anyway, par for the course.
Fantastic campaign with an empowering and actionable message. Kudos.