2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Every year, Canadians experience a decline in their mental health during the holiday season. One in two Canadians suffer from anxiety, depression or loneliness in what social and mainstream media shows as the happiest time of the year. As of 2021, the holidays were supposed to be “normal.” A time of celebration and reunion. So when that wasn’t the case, the 50% of us who experience mental health difficulties felt more alone than ever, and the need to reach them was greater than before.

This is exactly what the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and Citizen Relations wanted to change this year. As a national organization dedicated to promoting mental health, the CMHA works every day to support Canadians in being proactive about their mental health (before mental illness takes hold), but is always challenged in getting its message out in a season dominated by emotional, positive content. The holidays presented a perfect opportunity to evolve
and balance the conversation.

With $0 for paid media, they set out to challenge the prevailing discourse and remind all of us that support is out there - without putting a damper on the holiday spirit.

People with mental health challenges feel even more alienated and lonely during
“the most wonderful time of the year.”

Citizen Relations used a holiday icon, the infamous ugly sweater, as a trojan horse for Canadian media and influencers to give more time to the other side of the holiday season, so those suffering know they’re not alone.

They took the concept of the tacky holiday sweater and flipped it on its head, using it as a canvas to highlight three powerful truths: 1 in 4 Canadians have feelings of anxiety during the holiday season; 24% of women have felt depressed entering the festive season; and crisis calls to youth hotlines increases 23% around the holidays.

They shipped the sweaters in stark black boxes purposely counter to the palette of the season. Each box contained a sweater, a note card with the story, and links to resources and a donation page developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Year over year, there was a 9% increase in conversation around
mental health during the 2021 holiday season - a piece of irrefutable evidence
that they had made a difference.

In the second week in December (the height of the holiday conversation), posts began to pop up online as leading influencers donned the sweaters to share the message, linking to CMHA resources using #notanad and #uglyholidaytruths. A small handful quickly became dozens as TV stars, national media personalities, celebrities, the mayors of Toronto and Montreal, NHL players, and Grand Slam tennis champions all posted themselves in the sweaters. Even the president of P&G Canada and the head of marketing for Kids Help Phone posted the messages.

The social groundswell helped to strengthen the media hook when the
story was pitched coast-to-coast. Hosts and spokespeople were wearing the sweaters on Canada’s premiere broadcasts like Breakfast Television (twice!), CTV News, Quebec’s Salut Bonjour!, and a staggering seven-minute segment on CP24 Breakfast. The Ugly Truths Holiday Sweaters even got attention south of the border, where they sent a U.S.-specific stat and sweater for mental health expert
Dr. Mike Dow to wear in interviews on FOX News.

But it was when Sophie Gregoire Trudeau (the wife of the Prime Minister) agreed to wear one during a six-minute segment on leading national news program Global’s The Morning Show that they knew they’d achieved something special.

From Dec 14-28, with $0 for media or influencer partnerships, they were able to generate 67,000,000 organic impressions, 164 influencer posts, 2500+ comments (with a 96% positive sentiment), 86 minutes of unpaid national TV coverage,
240 earned media placements across broadcast, radio, and print and
a 9% increase in Canadian conversation around mental health during
the 2021 holiday season (vs 2020).

The Ugly Truths Holiday Sweaters was successful in grabbing attention and impressions at a time when media programming is extremely busy. The campaign dominated cultural conversations - social posts, the media segments, the
celebrity endorsements - with a paid partnership spend of zero dollars. Most importantly, the CMHA was able to reach those who needed it and remind everyone to check in on their loved ones.

Credits

CCO: Josh Budd
Art Directors: Randy De Melo, Joel Arbez
Designers: MyoNaing Illidge, Hilary Walls
Copywriter: Josh Budd
Producer: Kristen Neamtz
VP: Josie Haynes
Director: Audrey Ann Laurin
Associate Account Director: Kristen Schaffrath
Account Managers: Jessica Gauci, Emily Parker, Carmel Lagrandeur, Raphael Boies
Senior Account Executives: Emily Chang
Account Executives: Chantal Grainger, Iolanda Mobilio, Aleksandra Kaliszuk
Digital: Laura Muirhead, Yosr Kooli
VP, Strategy: Lindsay Page
Strategist: Malav Naik
Research Analyst: Shamshir Malik
Photography: Undivided Creative Inc.
National Director of Communications (CMHA): Katherine Janson
National Director of Development (CMHA): Ariel Shneer
National Senior Administrator, Fund Development (CMHA): Sharbani Roy