DoH highlights suicide with new ad campaign
Days after the suicide of INXS star Michael Hutchence, the Department of Health is launching an advertising campaign to tackle depression and lower the suicide rate in the UK.
A pilot press, cinema and radio campaign will be launched on December 15 in the Manchester region. After a trial, the campaign may be ex-tended nationally and onto TV.
DoH figures show suicides account for 20 per cent of deaths among young people aged 15 to 24. The new DoH campaign is aimed at males, among whom suicide is the second highest cause of death.
Creative work for the the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is by Ogilvy & Mather, and Davies Day devised the marketing strategy. The ads feature a confidential freephone number where men and boys can receive advice, guidance and counselling. The CALM campaign is intended to reduce the stigma associated with depression.
Davies Day says it will now seek private sector partnerships to widen the campaign’s reach. Those companies which have offered support include radio station Galaxy 102 and Manchester record label Factory Records.
