The goal of the Emotional Support Human campaign is to destigmatize mental health struggles and encourage openness and support for Howard County residents who experience depression and other mental health issues. Research shows most people know when a friend or family member is struggling but say nothing because of the potential for embarrassment, awkwardness, or lack of experience discussing mental health. The Horizon Foundation’s Emotional SupportHuman campaign offers actionable tips and insights that can make conversations feel approachable.
One year after launching their Emotional Support Human program (with another communications firm), the Horizon Foundation needed strategic communications counsel and creative support. Concerned that they were not connecting with priority audiences (people who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, primarily people between ages 18-34 and secondarily people 35-54),they approached our team to rethink their campaign.
Insights from research led us to develop a campaign that inspires empathy, using warm, vibrant color palette, organic textures, and relatable stories. I worked with Chris Hernandez, PRR’s video director, to develop concepts for five new animated short videos that celebrate courage, vulnerability, and acceptance. I designed a logo and wireframes and worked with our design team to create a website that shares tips, resources, and an invitation for people to share their Emotional Support Human stories.
Key Results: To date, the 2020 campaign is performing 4.2 times better year-over-year than the Foundation’s previous mental health campaign, in terms of click-throughs from social media and advertising to the website.
