Challenge

The charity Rethink Mental Illness provides quality practical support for people with severe mental illness and their carers. And yet only 1% of the population were aware of the charity.

Insight

  • Diagnosing and treating mental illness isn’t easy. Often there isn’t one quick fix and in many cases help needs to cover medical, social, financial and legal issues
  • But we knew that people with mental illness really valued the honesty and depth of the support provided by the charity.
  • As a charity supporter said: ‘They tell you straight what might be going on – and what your options are. It’s really refreshing, practical and honest’

Solution

  • A high impact online and offline campaign featured an arresting image of a real human brain with a plaster on it – with the straplines ‘if only’ and ‘no quick fixes’.
  • The ads were seen by the public as highly memorable and ‘up front’ showing that a wide variety of practical support was needed by, and provided for, people with severe mental illness.

Impact

  • Increased prompted awareness of the charity
  • Huge increase in calls to the charity’s information line
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