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How Platforms and Brands Reacted to World Mental Health Day

Thursday 12th October

Blog Author Beth Perrin by Beth Perrin

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How Platforms and Brands Reacted to World Mental Health Day

Thursday 12th October 2023

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Taking place annually on 10th October, World Mental Health Day is a global event that aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and get people talking about their struggles and other difficult topics that are often stigmatised and silenced. As well as being a great day for individuals to discuss their experiences with their friends, family and coworkers, the event also presents an excellent opportunity for brands and businesses to let their audiences know that they care about their mental wellbeing too, by sharing helpful tips and resources and/or partnering up with relevant organisations to spread the word. Read on to see how a selection of social media platforms and brands approached the day and how they used their digital presences to inspire change and positivity.

 

Support Features on TikTok

TikTok marked the occasion by announcing some new support features, starting with a way to access trustworthy information when viewing mental health-related content. When users in the US search within the app for terms linked to depression, anxiety, autism or trauma, they’ll now be directed to resources provided by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Cleveland Clinic. Once fully rolled out, this feature will cover 40 neurological conditions and mental illnesses.

It also partnered with the Rare Impact Fund, a mental health initiative founded by Selena Gomez, by sponsoring its inaugural Rare Impact Fund Benefit with a donation of $250,000. The event raised funds for - and illuminated the importance of - organisations that expand access to mental health services and education for young people around the world.

The platform also launched a global campaign called #MentalHealthAwareness: Better Together, and invited its community to share encouraging stories and personal wellbeing journeys using the hashtags #MentalHealthAwareness, #MentalHealthMatters and #MentalHealth. Throughout the campaign, people will be able to learn from mental health advocates, connect with organisations, and access additional resources through TikTok’s digital wellness hub.

 

Mind Infographics

Mental health charity Mind shared a series of mental health infographics on its social media pages detailing important statistics about mental health crises, ways to take action and hotlines users can call if they are feeling low or need help. It also used its platform to urge people to take political action, prompting them to sign a petition calling for a reform of the Mental Health Act, as well as stating the need for improvements to the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) scheme, which many people currently find to be understaffed and underfunded.

 

 
 

ITV’s #BritainGetTalking Campaign

ITV runs a year-round initiative called Britain Get Talking, which is designed to ease the nation’s stress and reduce people’s anxiety by asking what’s on their minds. For World Mental Health Day, focusing particularly on children and young people, it released a resource called ‘a different kind of homework’, a simple conversation starter that was given out in schools and aimed to help children open up about the worries on their mind. In line with this, the brand paired up with clinical psychologist and author Dr Lucy Maddox to publish a post in which she shared her 6 top tips to get talking, which many people find is the hardest part of mental health.

 

 

ITV also ran a special live edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show, a regular program hosted by financial expert Martin Lewis that shares money-saving tips and scam awareness advice with the public. The special aimed to tackle the difficult link between money and mental health, and help anyone who is struggling with debt feel less alone by sharing important tips and statistics, answering people’s questions and showing useful interviews with guests from the finance industry. Afterwards, the show posted key clips and infographics on its social media pages using ITV’s #BritainGetTalking hashtag, breaking down Martin’s top suggestions and making it easier for viewers to find the information they need.

 

 
 

Match x Calm Partnership

Dating site Match partnered with sleep and meditation app Calm for a campaign called Love Your Mind, Love Yourself. In a collaborative Instagram post, the brands explained that they were “coming together with a shared purpose: to champion the importance of self-love and mental wellbeing in creating healthy relationships, less loneliness, and a more fulfilling life.” They launched a YouTube playlist containing a series of 5 free Calm sessions and explained how loving yourself and building self-confidence can improve your relationships with other people too - romantic or otherwise.

The campaign also included a promotion giving customers 40% off Calm (“to support you in falling in love with yourself”) and 40% off Match (“to support you falling in love with others”).

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Calm (@calm)

 

Calm also shared a Reel displaying common mental health stigma phrases, such as “It’s all in your head” and “You’re being dramatic”, followed by counter phrases that can help break this stigma, such as “Self care isn’t selfish” and “It’s okay not to be okay”, in order to demonstrate the impact words can have on mental illnesses and the way they’re perceived, and to encourage people to think twice about the language they use when talking to those who might be struggling.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Calm (@calm)

 
 

Spotify: Our Minds Matter

Spotify marked the occasion by reminding users of its partnership with humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF which aims to support the mental health of young people and involves a dedicated hub within the app called ‘Our Minds Matter’. The hub features a brand new, evidence-based mental health podcast called ‘On my mind’, as well as a range of calming music and other content designed for relaxation. To support young people affected by the war in Ukraine specifically, the podcast episodes are available in Ukrainian as well as English, and the hub also includes a ‘Music from Ukraine’ section to help Ukrainian youth feel a stronger connection to home.

 

 
 

YoungMinds: Hello Yellow

Another great mental health charity, YoungMinds, relaunched its annual Hello Yellow campaign, which saw schools, workplaces and individuals dressing up in yellow clothing, putting up yellow decorations, sharing their photos on social media and donating money to support the organisation’s work. It also announced a brand new partnership with M&S, through which customers and colleagues will aim to raise more than £5 million for the charity over the next three years. M&S stores across the country will be setting up donation points and stocking plenty of yellow YoungMinds branded items to get people involved in the campaign.

 

 

The charity also used its social media presence to share an infographic outlining some helpful conversation starters parents can use when discussing mental health with their children, making it easier for people to approach a subject that is often difficult to talk about.

 

 
 

Summary

In the past, topics like mental health and mental illness were sadly shied away from and stigmatised, leaving sufferers feeling alone and without assistance. There’s certainly still more progress to be made, but now, thanks to the power of social media and key events like World Mental Health Day, much-needed discussions are finally happening - and both individuals and brands are finding compelling ways to start conversations, raise awareness and encourage charity donations.

Has your business ever partnered with a non-profit organisation or used social media to shine a light on important issues? Find us on X @3sixfivepro to share your thoughts or tell us about a great campaign you saw for World Mental Health Day. Plus, don’t forget to check out our guide on how to set up social media fundraisers if you’d like to support a cause online.


 
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