The Inside My Mind depression awareness campaign by WA Primary Health Alliance has won best Television Campaign, and Best Integrated Campaign, at the Campaign Brief Awards.
This announcement closely follows Inside My Mind receiving a silver award for Best Online Film and three bronze awards across Best TV Individual, Best TV Campaign and Best Integrated Campaign at the Perth Advertising and Design Club awards, and receiving a finalist nomination in the category of Marketing Excellence at the AIM WA Pinnacle Awards.
The campaign aimed to reach at-risk populations with higher than average suicide rates, as part of the Australian Government National Suicide Prevention Trials, to help them recognise depression in themselves or others, and to direct them to the best help available for their unique needs.
The campaign documents the true stories of four Western Australians with lived experience of depression, using real people rather than actors, to empower lived experience in the suicide prevention sector, and to promote authenticity in marketing.
“It is exciting to have the campaign recognised at this level, as it gives real people in the community a voice,” Suicide Prevention Program Manager, Sharleen Delane said.
“People with a lived experience of depression bring insight, wisdom and a unique perspective that is critical to informing the best approaches to suicide prevention and community education.”
“This was especially important for Inside My Mind as it gave our audience proof that they are not alone in their experience, and that while that experience can be varied and complex, there is real hope for a journey back from depression.”
However, sharing a personal story of mental health can bring up uncomfortable or distressing feelings and it is critical to create a safe, supportive space for sharing when engaging lived experience speakers.
WA Primary Health Alliance aimed to lead by example in the mental health sector and media by empowering community members with lived experience to share their story, but also by safeguarding them appropriately in the process.
“All participants had a support staff member allocated during filming, who continued to check in with participants in the days and months following the creation of the campaign,” Sharleen said.
“When new media opportunities presented, participants were approached openly and encouraged to voice any concerns or decline any opportunities they did not feel prepared for.”
Additionally, WA Primary Health Alliance used the Mindframe guidelines to inform the campaign which supports safe media reporting and communication about mental ill-health, and took an active role in ensuring all media reporting around the campaign adhered to these guidelines.
After garnering more than 5 million views in just four months, the campaign has been relaunched, using key learnings from the initial success to explore new avenues and reach more people, who may be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or low, during uncertain times. It shows the variety of ways you can take positive steps for your mental health, and continues to showcase real people and real stories.
WA Primary Health Alliance hopes to encourage other organisations in Western Australia to consider safely empowering real people to share their stories, to safeguard lived experience participants in initiatives, and to report on mental ill health responsibly.
WA Primary Health Alliance would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of creative partners RARE and Carat Australia, who went above and beyond to support the Inside My Mind campaign in its first launch and its continuation.
If you or someone you know needs help, visit the Inside My Mind website or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
In an emergency, call 000.