12/15 – Coalition Against Loneliness

Client: Era of New Women Foundation

In Poland, 12 out of every 15 suicides are committed by men. Yet men account for only 27% of publicly funded depression treatment recipients. Silence, stigma and cultural expectations prevent men from seeking help.

To confront this crisis, SEC Newgate CEE and the Era of New Women Foundation launched 12/15 – Coalition Against Loneliness, a national health cause campaign designed to normalise men’s mental-health crises and encourage help-seeking behaviour. The campaign began with an unexpected PR stunt: a high-profile fashion show where 12 male models walked the runway and fell into a symbolic “black void,” representing the daily scale of male suicide. The emotional shock moment catalysed nationwide media attention and introduced the Coalition Against Loneliness — a platform uniting NGOs, leading academics from the Polish Academy of Sciences and SWPS University, and policymakers including the Ministries of Health and Education. The second phase focused on education and normalisation. Through celebrity “crisis coming-outs” in widely consumed media, expert commentary, grassroots discussions and digital engagement, the campaign reframed vulnerability as strength and encouraged conversations around therapy. The result was near-total national reach (33.5 million impressions in a country of 37.8 million), 1,356 organic Instagram posts reaching 1.78 million users, and tangible policy impact: the Minister of Health announced a record 4 billion PLN allocation to psychiatry, alongside new mental-health education measures in schools. With an external budget of 200,000 PLN and significant pro bono contributions, 12/15 transformed a taboo issue into a national priority.