The campaign was run in conjunction with Network Rail’s charity partner, Chasing The Stigma, and Ardmore, who produced the creative work.
Last Thursday (September 9th) saw the announcement of the winners of The Creative Pool Awards 2021. We are thrilled to share the news that Network Rail’s ‘There Is Always Hope’ campaign was awarded a bronze in the ‘Advertising: TV’ category as well as the People’s Choice section overall! UM proudly supported the campaign with research and media buying.
The campaign aimed to direct people to the Hub of Hope app and website created by mental health charity Chasing The Stigma. The charity aims to connect those who are struggling with any mental health concern or know someone who may be, with relevant local support.
The campaign was specifically designed and targeted to speak to a young male audience, a group statistically shown to be the most affected by poor mental health. UM investigated the issue in more depth and released further research shortly before the campaign launch in March 2021.
Although the campaign has been recognised specifically for the great TV creative, the media campaign also comprised of activity across VOD, audio, podcasts, social, online and with a number of influencers. From a media perspective, it was important to strike a balance between reaching as many of the target audience as possible with creating meaningful connections. Impression volumes alone weren’t going to equal success for this campaign.
UM research showed that men feel more vulnerable when they are on their own, particularly overnight. To reach the audience when they were likely to be most in need, TV and VOD activity took advantage of cheaper overnight prices. Similarly, our audio activity ran between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m on both traditional audio and Spotify through games consoles – another route to escapism for our audience.
The influencer element of the campaign was crucial to normalise conversations about mental health between young males. Celebrities including Danny Jones from McFly and Max George from The Wanted shared stories of times where they felt at their most vulnerable and the strategies they had successfully used to deal with their anxiety.
View the entry summary here or find out more about our media services.