Ad Council Rallies Around Mental Health
Even before the pandemic, America was grappling with a mental health crisis, but Covid-19 compounded the situation. Half (49 percent) of Americans ages 16 to 65 said they have a mental health condition, and of those who report a condition, only about half (48 percent) said they're getting help or treatment, according to a study conducted by the Ad Council in May to June 2022. What's more, 43 percent of Americans said they do not feel comfortable talking to people close to them about their emotions and how they are feeling.
Against that backdrop, the Ad Council late last year launched a $65 million multi-year mental health initiative. It's the largest campaign in the organization's 81-year history, with a founding gift of $15 million from the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Several media companies and platforms, including Meta, NBCUniversal, and Paramount, are supporting the initiative in donated media time and space as well as creating original content.
Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council, joins host Matthew Schwartz to talk about the campaign, how marketers can step up their efforts to address mental health both internally and externally, and choosing the right messengers to get the word out.
Source
"Ad Council Rallies Around Mental Health." Champions of Growth Podcast, 8/2/23.