Break Through and Be Heard

Client: Bupa

Young people in the UK have greater mental health issues than ever before. 1 in 6 of those aged 5 to 16 have experienced a mental health problem, up from 1 in 19 in 2017. Yet young people, and their parents, can struggle to talk about their mental health. Nearly 1 in 5 young people said they felt excluded at some point because they were spoken down to, or their issues weren’t correctly understood.

With 70% of those with mental health problems not receiving appropriate intervention at a sufficiently early age, the right support and communication for families during the stressful pre-teen years can be life changing. Bupa was determined to provide this. We created an inspiring mission-led campaign bringing to life how parents and their pre-teens can feel as if they’re living in separate bubbles, struggling to breakthrough and feel heard. We brought this creative and resonant insight to life in film, which sat at the heart of a socially-led campaign. This was reinforced by an integrated PR programme, partnerships with celebrity experts and a suite of dedicated support resources and tools for parents. Bupa’s campaign connected with millions of parents across the UK, with our hero film collecting more than 7million views. Our PR and broadcast campaign generated hundreds of pieces of coverage, with a value of more than £600k. But vitally, our campaign unlocked breakthrough conversations and provided vital advice to support the mental health of young people at a critical time in their lives.