The news: Brands are launching campaigns to mark Mental Health Awareness Month, aiming to mobilize through this year’s theme, “Turn Awareness into Action,” which celebrates the growing recognition of mental health’s importance.
Some campaigns highlighting mental health this May:
- Kenneth Cole debuted a new campaign under its “Purposeful Voices” series confronting mental health stigmas, per Ad Age. One segment highlights recording artist Rachel Platten, who sings about her mental health while visuals underscore the contrast between her external persona and her internal emotions. All proceeds from sales made from Kenneth Cole’s website from May 1 to 4 were donated to the Mental Health Coalition.
- Saks Fifth Avenue launched a campaign in collaboration with creator Emily DiDonato highlighting the influencer’s mental health tips. Saks donated 10% of the purchase price on website sales through May 11th to support the Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation’s mental health strategy.
- Mental health app Calm joined forces with Midi Health, a virtual care provider for women in perimenopause and menopause to elevate mental health support during midlife. As part of the campaign, the Calm app will include features tailored to this demographic and offer new Midi patients 50% off a Calm Premium subscription.
Why the moves matter: The campaigns foster relationships with customers by demonstrating commitment to consumer health—and act as an important strategy catered to audience preferences.