How Blak Labs is Using Nostalgia to Promote Mental Health Awareness
In the lead-up to the fifth Mental Health Film Festival Singapore (MHFFS), Blak Labs, alongside agencies like Upcycle Communications and Moove Media, launched the 'Tickets for Your Thoughts' campaign. The pro-bono initiative, designed to raise awareness around mental well-being, uses nostalgic film tickets to challenge perceptions of mental health.
Speaking to LBB, Charlie Blower, co-founder of Blak Labs, and Jennifer Dembitz, co-founder of Upcycle Communications, discuss the campaign's creative process, from balancing provocative copy to measuring success through community engagement and ticket sales.
Their insights highlight a thoughtful, collaborative approach to addressing mental health in Singapore, balancing provocative messaging and internal conversations about mental wellness among agency teams.
LBB> What was the creative inspiration behind the ‘Tickets for Your Thoughts’ campaign, and how did you decide to use film tickets as a medium for mental health messaging?
Charlie> The thinking was really about taking a light-hearted approach to a topic that is often considered sombre and taboo. We wanted to convey that mental health affects all of us and is a part of daily life that we should feel free to discuss openly. The film ticket execution took some time to refine, but the analogue approach felt right, given our overly saturated digital world. The tickets evoke a sense of nostalgia and create an immediate association for easy brand recognition and recall.
LBB> Can you walk us through the development process of the provocative copy used in the campaign, such as “It’s rude to stare at people with mental illness. Except when they’re on the big screen”? How did you balance sensitivity with impact?
Charlie> With a campaign like this, it’s a matter of doing the work, exploring the different areas by working through the lines and then giving them the overnight test. We went through several iterations and designs to reach the final set. Each was filtered internally by our diverse team – different ages, races and genders – and then reviewed with the client to ensure it hit the mark.
LBB> With the campaign appearing in high-traffic areas like MRT stations, how do you measure the effectiveness of these outdoor supersites in starting conversations about mental health?
Jennifer> The yardstick for whether this has landed will be ticket sales and sponsorships. Together with the digital campaign by Instamedia Labs and the outdoor supported by Moove Media and Plan B, we’re quietly hopeful. Upcycle’s work will include links to purchase in the digital media coverage. This should help create accessible opportunities for the public to click and buy after seeing the ads and reading the articles. It’s a phased approach in terms of both awareness and the call to action.
LBB> How did working on a pro-bono basis for this initiative influence the creative approach and collaboration between Blak Labs and the other agencies involved?
Charlie> It’s no different for this versus a paying client. It’s a critical topic and we genuinely believe that the more people get to see the messages and buy tickets, the better. The agencies and the client are very focused on efficiency and impact. None of us have time to waste, and it’s been a great collaboration in terms of meaning and working style.
LBB> How has the team at Blak Labs embraced the message of mental health awareness internally, especially with initiatives like closing the office on World Mental Health Day and offering early access to festival films?
Charlie> Mental health issues affect every one of us whether we care to admit it or not. We’re glad that this campaign has given us the opportunity to reflect, reframe and refocus our own conversations around mental health. There’s no denying that different generations in Singapore and society as a whole engage differently with mental health. Whatever you’re struggling with and whomever you’re caring for, a day to quietly celebrate our differences, challenges, and strengths acknowledges the humans behind the work.
