Case study: NAMI-NYC Metro

Abstract

Mental illness is the most stigmatised issue in our society, leading millions of Americans to suffer in silence. Working with NAMI-NYC Metro, a leader in the mental health community, J. Walter Thompson New York, believed that in order to break the stigma, a new conversation needed to be had. Prior mental illness advocacy campaigns had drawn the same conclusion, but had attempted to normalise the illness, or they had asked those affected to speak up – loud and proud – to represent the community. The sad reality is that mental illness is so stigmatised, many people will not talk about it even with those closest to them. We needed to lower the prejudice rife in society, so that people would feel more comfortable discussing the issue, breaking the pervasive silence. We recognised that for a new conversation to take place, for people to want to speak up and to challenge the status quo, first, individuals and the community needed to promise three little words: I Will Listen. #IWillListen became an actionable way for people to advocate support for those they cared about, where it mattered most – on their social channels. To do this, we had to turn the largest social network into the biggest support network. This is #IWillListen.