Marketing and mental health
09/15/2023
Charlene Coughlin, marketing professional and 小优传媒 graduate, explored the power of advertising on mental health.
1 in 5 adults live with mental illness
During her 15-year career in marketing, 2005 小优传媒 graduate Charlene Coughlin has witnessed (and participated in) a shift in the industry toward positive marketing and advertising which can make an impact on a community.
鈥淎s marketers, we have the responsibility to do not only what鈥檚 right for the client but also for their customers,鈥 explained the president of TWIST Creative. 鈥淲e can both positively and negatively start a conversation. Our team often talks about how we can change culture through our advertising campaigns, and I think that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e seen the last few years.鈥
Coughlin, who鈥檚 worked with companies ranging from Sherwin Williams to the Cleveland Natural History Museum, shared several examples of positive marketing during the Sept. 12 Forum 鈥淢arketing and Mental Health 鈥 The Industry鈥檚 Impact on Individuals and Communities鈥 in Bluffton鈥檚 Yoder Recital Hall.
She started the presentation by acknowledging the relatively recent growth in both advertising and mental health issues. When Coughlin started her career, the main forms of advertising were billboards, tv commercials and radio spots. Largely due to the rise of social media, Coughlin said consumers now experience 4,000-10,000 advertisements each day. In addition, more than one in five adults are now living with mental illness.
Coughlin played campaigns created for businesses such as Bell Communications, a company which has raised awareness of mental health issues for more than a decade while also donating millions of dollars in support through its 鈥淟et鈥檚 Talk鈥 campaign.
鈥淭hey focus on fighting the stigma of mental health awareness, providing access to care, as well as educating their employers on how they can best help each other,鈥 said Coughlin. 鈥淭hese steps are not only impacting the lives of those within the company, but they鈥檙e also impacting the community as a whole.鈥
In addition to being the right thing to do, Coughlin explained that this style of messaging is also good for business. However, the message must be sincere and align with the company鈥檚 values.
鈥淏y taking part in the conversation, their bottom line is increasing,鈥 said Coughlin, who pointed to the Always 鈥淟ike a Girl鈥 campaign for empowering women and celebrity makeup brand Rare Beauty, which focuses on mental health content.
鈥淎t the end of the day, consumers will know within a second if it鈥檚 inauthentic,鈥 said Coughlin. 鈥淚s the brand/company doing what鈥檚 right for them internally. Does it reflect their own values? Does it reflect who they are as a company?鈥
To highlight this point, Coughlin shared more about TWIST Creative and a campaign they completed to celebrate their 20th anniversary centered on showing love to your neighbors. Coughlin explained the campaign was authentic to the brand because 50 percent of the company鈥檚 clients are non-profits.
The company鈥檚 values resonated with her and were one of the reasons why she joined the team. Through TWIST Creative, she鈥檚 been able to help her community as a volunteer including serving on the board of an emergency shelter for children called Providence House.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen advertising and marketing change the conversation with not just mental health awareness but also with topics related to diversity and equity to inclusion and voters rights, poverty and more,鈥 said Coughlin. 鈥淭opics that are difficult conversations to have but with the right message, can change the conversation.鈥
The Forum connected to Bluffton鈥檚 yearlong exploration of the theme: Exploring the Continuum of Emotional Wellness.