Mental Health Awareness Month 2023: Brand Responses

Published 22 May 2023

Author

Saska Graville

5 min read

Acknowledging the ongoing youth mental health crisis, Mental Health Awareness Month (US, May) and Mental Health Awareness Week (UK and Australia, May 15-21) see brands including TikTok, dating giant Bumble and Doritos initiating or extending their wellbeing conversations with Gen Z and Alpha. Responses range from rebooting dating profiles to social-emotional learning tools (and a motion-captured chip).

Bumble Adds Self-Care to Dating Profiles: A 2023 survey by US dating app Bumble revealed that 55% of its American members say it’s important to be open about mental health. It also found that Gen Zers and millennials are more likely than other cohorts to go on a second date with someone who is open about their mental wellness during the first one. In response, Bumble has introduced new self-care and wellbeing-focused Interest Badges and Profile Prompts.

The six Badges, signalling a dater’s priorities, are Therapy, Mindfulness, Deep Chat, Nutrition, Sleeping Well and Time Offline. The Profile Prompts – questions you can answer in your profile or use as conversation starters – include “My mental health game changer was…” and “I’m prioritising my mental health by…”.

Bumble

Bumble Badges

Bumble

Bumble Badges

TikTok Launches Hub to Raise Mental Health Awareness: TikTok’s new year-round mental health awareness hub launched this month. It’s currently spotlighting 10 American creators who advocate for mental wellbeing, including meditation teacher and mindfulness coach Joel Cross (365,400 followers) and therapist Lindsay Fleming (517,000 followers). It will also share content from other influencers on wellness topics like ADHD, and connect community members with North American support organisations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Trans Lifeline.

TikTok

AcuVue Encourages Less Screen Time: A recent report from the Institute For Family Studies showed that American tweens and teens spend over 10 hours a day using online media. Building on the insight that spending less time on social media will improve both mental health and eye comfort, US contact lens brand AcuVue is challenging Gen Z to take a digital detox. The #MyVisionMySight campaign features Gen Z influencers (and contact lens wearers), including Clarke Peoples and Paola Ochoaa, sharing how they see life differently after a social media break. The films are – ironically – shared on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

@claaaarke unplugging during my hours-long hot girl walks give me the space to reflect on my life thus far and realign with my vision for the future. show me how you unplug and what you rediscover! #MyVisionMySight #ACUVUE #sponsored ♬ original sound - clarke

@paola.ochoaa One social media break can change your life... will you be joining me? @ACUVUE #ACUVUE #MyVisionMySight #socialmediabreak #dayoffsocialmedia ♬ original sound - paola ochoa 🎀

A Talking Dorito Tackles Youth Mental Health: In partnership with youth mental health organisation Reach Out Australia, Doritos’ Australian division has created Chippy, a stand-up comedian whose head is blended into a large tortilla chip via motion capture tech. Sharing his ups and downs – from dating to self-worth – the idea is to encourage the 33% of young Australians experiencing mental wellbeing challenges to speak out.

The film campaign, spread across social media and out of home, is part of Doritos’ global aim to get one million Gen Zers to act on their mental health by 2026. An interactive online portal engages viewers in conversations about their own journeys – via chatbots and bookable text-based conversations with Reach Out Australia experts.

Doritos

Sesame Street Sends Elmo On A Mindfulness Adventure: Moving onto Gen Alpha (and their families), Elmo’s Mindfulness Spectacular is a 45-minute special produced by Sesame Street and YouTube that builds on the show’s legacy of “social-emotional learning content for families”. It sees Elmo set out on a mindfulness adventure, learning activities to help calm his nerves ahead of a talent show. It’s received over seven million YouTube views since launching on May 3.

The special is part of a multi-year commitment from Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organisation that produces Sesame Street, to create content supporting young children’s mental health. Other initiatives include podcast episodes featuring Dr Laurie Santos and The Happiness Lab, sharing “happiness strategies” for parents and caregivers to support both themselves and their children, and the return of the Goodnight, World! podcast with Anglo-American mindfulness app Headspace, helping kids prepare for naps or bedtime.