Using humour as the gateway in the toughest brief of them all
R U OK Day is a suicide prevention initiative which sprang out of the advertising industry. In this guest post, Rebecca Lewis, campaign manager of the R U OK Foundation, explains that the responsibilities of promoting the cause hang heavy.
Getting the nation to talk about the issue of suicide prevention is a seemingly endless and sometimes impossible task.
When developing a communications and marketing strategy, I can feel hemmed in by the complications and sensitivities of the issue, while feeling weighed down by the knowledge that social media can heighten risk in the community. I also feel a sense of obligation to the people that mourn their loved ones’ death every day. There are nights when I lie awake, fretting that a careless word may have offended, exacerbated grief or normalised a destructive behaviour.
The premise of the Australian Government’s suicide prevention policy is to make it everyone’s business. In other words, if the annual average of 2,300 suicide deaths and 65,000 attempts are to be reduced, we all need to care and we all need to want to make a difference.
I believe that Australians do care. I believe most people want to create a better world. But the truth is, people have compassion fatigue. People are afraid of the word ‘suicide’. People are sceptical of the difference individuals can make to complex, poorly understood social issues. And too many people think that asking a mate ‘are you ok?’ is something they don’t have to do.
If you look at the suicide statistics over the last 10 years, the overall numbers don’t seem to be shifting. The message that preventing suicide is everyone’s business isn’t sticking and around six people are dying every day. New tactics are needed.
For this year’s R U OK?Day advertising campaign, we decided to take a new approach and be quirky, humorous and light-hearted. We wanted to be engaging and to reach out to people who stand on the periphery of the issue but don’t get involved. We wanted to ensure that our voice and strategy appealed to as many people as possible.
It was a decision not made lightly. We are all too aware of the devastating impact that suicide has and the suffering of people who have lost a loved one. However, we also know that the many people (happily) untouched by suicide can be oblivious to its impact and need to be coaxed into action.
Humour is not the answer to suicide prevention – or any other serious social issue – but it can be part of the solution. If used carefully and strategically, it can act as a gateway to educate more Australians about the conversations that count. While seemingly light-hearted and simple, it’s hoped that the 2013 ad campaign will get more people talking about what they can do to make a difference and educate each other why asking ‘are you ok?’ can change a life – or even save it.
Rebecca Lewis is Campaign Manager for the R U OK? Foundation which is supported by industry partners including OgilvyOne, AlphaSalmon, Pixolut and Adshel
This from Beyond Blue on male depression was absolutely brilliant. I can’t believe it didn’t get more attention: http://www.mantherapy.org.au
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Great campaign from what I’ve seen of it, Rebecca. I can well believe the sleepless nights. Kudos to you and your team for your courage.
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Such an encouraging article, I have nothing but admiration for the work being done and the search for new ideas.
The subject is not only vast and complex in itself, it is further complicated by the two edged sword of religion, right to life, abortion and euthanasia. I have been touched by suicide as many others have, I am as puzzled and saddened as anyone.
I would never pretend to understand the cause of the problem, but I cannot get away from the idea that the loss of the containable life style and the changing social and economic pressures are aggravations.
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Hi Rebecca. From a sufferer of Depression and having lived through what the symptoms can do to a persons health and well being, I would like to offer thanks for your work. It is insightful and it understands the symptoms of the condition and what we can all do to reach inside of a person we are worried about. Suffering depression is an isolating and lonely, confusing and emotionally paralyzing experience. Having someone take note and interest is a really good first step for those suffering.
As for mantherapy.org.au. To those responsible, stick to selling toilet paper. The campaign was shallow, misguided and lacked real insight into the world of the male depression sufferer. A waste of time and effort that fails on the most fundamental levels.
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I was at seminar recently on how reporting on suicides and communicating about it is delicate and can have a normalising effect. One of the things raised was that this campaign, It Gets Better, Mantherapy etc, are all not evidence based and while well intentioned, may be dangerous.
I guess I see both sides and why this must be a very tricky job on a worthwhile concept.
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Look, I appreciate some of the comments from, what is quite obviously, serious depression sufferers. Again, in defence of mantherapy.org.au it was a brilliant social media campaign that dealt with a difficult subject matter in an appropriate way. To simply right it off is wrong as it was brave and important. Hats off to them.
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Some of the people in greatest need exist in the advertising agencies we all work for, being overworked, belittled, harassed and driven to suicide. I know. Someone I worked with committed suicide. The industry needs to take a look in the mirror and change the practices that can worsen depression and lead to suicide.
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