Why AXA Wants Women in Ireland to Take 51 Minutes Just for Themselves
In 2024, AXA's Mind Health Report uncovered that over half of women in Ireland are dealing with mental health challenges. Problems Parked is AXA’s way of turning that statistic into a small but meaningful act of care.
The campaign introduces AXA’s Mind Health Self Check Tool, a free, clinically backed tool that helps women take a moment to check in on their mental wellbeing, and because finding that moment can feel impossible, Publicis Dublin and AXA decided to create one.
For many women the car has become an unexpected place to pause, a rare moment of quiet in the middle of work, family and constant responsibilities. It’s one of the few places women are instinctively turning to decompress and reset, but it’s rarely recognised as such.
On August 8th, AXA and Q-Park teamed up to reframe parking as an opportunity to pause. At Q-Park locations nationwide, women using the Q-Park app could claim 51 minutes of free parking along with an invite to try the Mind Health Self-Check and access a mental health helpline.. In return, they received 51 minutes of free parking to represent the 51% of women facing mental health challenges.
“We wanted to take a real statistic and turn it into a real act of care,” said Kieran McCullagh, head of brand at AXA Ireland. “Publicis brought that vision to life with a campaign that is insight-driven, purposeful, and beautifully human. It’s a genuine example of our brand values in action and a testament to the power of great agency collaboration.”
Edel McCabe, director at Publicis Dublin, said the insight was impossible to ignore. “Discovering that 51% of women in Ireland are facing challenges with their mental health really stopped us in our tracks. The AXA Mind Health Self-Check is a powerful tool, and we wanted to introduce it in a way that felt both memorable and meaningful. Using the car as our entry point, and partnering with Q-Park, allowed us to create a real moment of pause. It’s a small gesture that reflects AXA’s broader commitment to supporting women’s health and wellbeing.”
The campaign blends real data with a human touch, showing that even small gestures can create space for self-care. It’s part of AXA’s broader mission to support health and wellbeing in Ireland a focus that’s only grown since the acquisition of laya healthcare in 2023.
The campaign rolls out on social from August 11th, encouraging women to take those small but powerful moments to prioritise themselves even in the car.
