From PSA to Docu-Therapy: VML’s CCO on Revolutionising Mental Health Messaging

In an era where mental health is more important than ever, AXA’s Group Therapy campaign offers a fresh approach to communicating its Mind Health initiatives, the latest of which is designed to connect with audiences on a deeper level.

VML France chief creative officer Dimitri Guerrassimov shares the creative journey behind the branded Group Therapy project, which involved AXA tasking the team to move beyond the limitations of conventional advertising. So, they decided to reimagine a campaign that harnesses the power of vulnerability with humour.

The project transforms mental health messaging into an engaging cultural event, by embedding unscripted, live group therapy sessions – featuring world-class comedians and hosted by the likes of Neil Patrick Harris.

Here, Dimitri speaks about how the initiative not only stayed true to AXA’s purpose as a global health insurer but also delivered a sincere, emotionally-charged narrative that challenges traditional advertising norms.

LBB> What was the original brief from AXA, and how did that evolve into the idea of creating the feature-length film rather than a more traditional campaign?

Dimitri> Since the covid pandemic, AXA has been ramping up its initiatives in the area of Mind Health. The AXA Mind Health Hub has been gaining traction with mental health professionals, making this the perfect moment to expand its reach to a wider audience. The brief was substantial but open: ‘We want to do something important, something big, something different – surprise us.’ So, we didn’t want to create yet another PSA that nobody watches, we decided to embed AXA’s prevention message into culture by using a world-class entertainment approach.

LBB> Why was long-form storytelling — and specifically a documentary format — the right vehicle for this message?

Dimitri> One thing was clear: a traditional ad format wasn’t the right way to build the kind of connection with the audience we were aiming for. We had been exploring the idea of creating a series or a long-form film for some time. Ultimately, it was the concept of group therapy itself that led us toward the latter. However, I use the word ‘documentary’ with caution here. More than a pure documentary, the film was designed a bit like a live event with documentary elements, a sort of ‘docu-therapy.’ And beyond the film format, Group Therapy is a full mental health initiative, connected to AXA’s digital/social ecosystem and providing precious tools like the online Mind-Health Self-Check and much more.

LBB> What led to the decision to centre this project around comedians, and how did their perspective craft the tone of the film?

Dimitri> Once we defined an ownable strategy and message – ‘Sharing is Therapeutic’ – we needed a non-boring way to convey it. Comedians emerged as the perfect choice: they spill their hearts and share their most intimate struggles in front of audiences, but in an entertaining way. This duality between tears and laughter gave the film its unique personality and voice.

LBB> What considerations were made around balancing humour with vulnerability?

Dimitri> Our heroes needed to be relatable and honest to deeply connect with our audience and encourage them to share their own struggles. We wanted to counterbalance their ‘professional entertainer’ side with real emotion. Casting played a crucial role here . We chose brilliant comedians who also had a very human and vulnerable side to them.

LBB> From a production standpoint, what were some of the biggest challenges in capturing real, emotionally-raw conversations while still creating a film that felt polished, entertaining, and coherent?

Dimitri> This is where our host Neil Patrick Harris and director Neil Berkley worked their magic. They created an atmosphere of trust that allowed the comedians’ vulnerability to surface naturally. At the same time, they arranged the cameras in the various ‘sharing spaces’ to ensure the ‘confessions’ were both intimate and visually appealing. It may not seem obvious, but the level of craftsmanship in ‘Group Therapy’, beyond the visible layer of art direction and cinematography, is truly insane.

LBB> How closely did the creative team collaborate with the cast during the shoot? Were their personal stories shaped in advance, or did the emotional arc evolve more organically in the room?

Dimitri> The only pre-defined elements were Neil Patrick Harris’s questions during the group sessions and Neil Berkley’s questions during the one-on-one interviews. Everything else was unscripted. That’s the magic of this film – at its core, it’s a candid live group therapy session that evolved organically, like an open conversation.

LBB> This campaign is both a cultural statement and a brand initiative. How did you ensure the film stayed authentic and impactful while also aligning with AXA’s purpose as a global health insurer?

Dimitri> By initially developing the strategic message – ‘Sharing is Therapeutic’ – which was ownable and aligned with AXA’s brand purpose, we could then choose an entertaining, impactful, and relevant way to deliver this message. Which is how a live group therapy session featuring world-class comedians and hosted by Neil Patrick Harris came to life. Our AXA partners showed great courage by agreeing to ground rules, such as avoiding to force brand language or product mentions, allowing the audience to have a real moment of entertainment instead of being just an ad in disguise. Finally, we ensured seamless integration of the film into AXA’s communications and media plan, as well as its social/digital ecosystem. ‘Group Therapy’ represents four and a half years of collaboration between AXA, Kevin Hart’s production company, Hartbeat, Group M Motion, Wavemaker and VML – and serves as a best practice example of WPP’s seamlessly integrated way of working.