It's Mental Health Awareness Week and this year's theme is loneliness. No matter how busy or loved people might seem, loneliness can affect any of us, so let this email be a reminder to you to do your bit to break down barriers. Pick up the phone to call someone instead of just texting. Broach the subject of loneliness with your colleagues - you might be right on time with your conversation. One of Thompson's Mental Health First Aiders, Chris Pickup, recommends going online for handy resources around loneliness.
We're staying with mental health in this week's FUEL blog:
– Do you really know what young people are consuming online?
– It's time to get men talking #YNWA
– When was the last time you trained your brain?
#Detoxyourfeed
From 'perfecting' teeth with nail files, to weight-loss gummies and starting botox young, there's a sea of insidious advice being consumed day in, day out on social media. And no matter what they think, parents often have no idea what their kids are up to.
Enter Dove’s #DetoxYourFeed campaign. It centres around a startling film using impressive face-mapping tech to raise awareness of toxic beauty advice on social. Its aim is to empower young people, to help them to define their own beauty standards and to realise the benefit of setting boundaries online. Creatively it's exceptional and a message we believe in 100%.
Chris Skelton, our Creative Director, says:
“This campaign nearly brought me to tears. As a parent of two young boys I worry about the effects of social media on their mental health, and this campaign brought this home. The concept is great, the technology is quite terrifying, and the message is delivered brilliantly. Dove continue to set the standard for delivering on brand purpose.”
You'll never walk alone
Nivea Men have launched their new campaign to tackle stigma around mental illness in men. ‘Strength in Numbers’ features Liverpool FC's U8 Academy and local kids, and makes great use of the Liverpool anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. This emotional film encourages men to realise there’s truly strength in coming together. The campaign is supported by mental fitness social content and an online mental health hub.
Emma Beavers, one of Thompsons Account Executives, says:
“The film feature states that 50% of mental health problems begin before the age of 14, which is incredibly upsetting. We need to change our society to support our younger generations, otherwise this statistic will get worse. Nivea Men have done a great job of raising awareness with this moving film. I definitely want to do my bit to start encouraging men to talk about how they feel."
Train your brain
We'll finish up today by talking about a new mental health platform that targets a whole different audience: fans of Selena Gomez. Stick with us...
Wondermind was founded by Selena Gomez and two of her impressive friends, Mandy Teefey and Daniella Pierson. The aim of the platform is to change the way people think about mental health and to encourage people to start exercising their brain daily – just as they would with their bodies. The founders believe that more work needs to be done on mental fitness between any sessions you may have with a therapist, and they’re helping you to do just that.
Rachel Cook, our Managing Director, says:
“Selena Gomez making a site about mental health? What’s next, Ed Sheeran talking about cancer? Beyonce about acne? Well, yes. Don’t dismiss this as someone else jumping on the bandwagon – it’s significant every time someone with profile raises issues like mental health to the fore. Nice one Selena, more please.”
