ITV2 partner with campaign against living miserably (Calm) for second year of Youth Mental Health Campaign

ITV2 is continuing its partnership with charity CALM for a second year with a new campaign launching on tonight (7th March 2022), encouraging young people to do what works for them to cope with life’s ups and downs. The campaign follows on from a successful first year of partnership, which encouraged 1.1 million young people to take action to help them feel better able to cope with life’s ups and downs.

Produced by ITV Creative, the new campaign will focus on the more unusual things people do to get themselves through low moments, with a playful parody on the highly Instagramed world of self-care and wellness. Scenes such as a candle-lit bath and mindful meditation are revealed to be less virtuous than first meets the eye, as their subjects tuck into sauce laden snacks or launch into a gaming shoot-out, with the message “Just do what gets you through.”

While light-hearted in tone, the campaign lands a serious point. It launches at a time when young people’s mental health has never been more challenged: NHS figures from 2021 have shown the number of children and young people contacting mental health services rose by nearly a third in the last year. The impact of the pandemic, and its disruption on schooling, work and social lives has meant that 67% of young people believe Covid will have a long-term negative effect on their mental health, according to a recent YoungMinds survey.

When it comes to tackling these times of difficulty, ITV’s own research has revealed that only 40% of 16-34s know what gets them through a low mood. The campaign aims to encourage young people to find what actually gets them through low moments. Humorously poking fun at popular self-care pick me ups that might be unrelatable to many 16-34s, the campaign instead encourages the audience to embrace their own version of caring for themselves, no matter how weird or wonderful.

The campaign includes two 30 second TV spots, a brand new digital series and a partnership with TikTok, featuring a diverse group of content creators, including Nikki Lilly (8.2 million followers) and Monica Geldart (1 million followers), talking about the weird and wonderful things they do to help get them through their low moments. It tackles some of the cliches of the self care world in the unapologetic and authentic way TikTok can.

ITV2’s core audience of viewers is aged between 16-34 year olds, so its partnership with CALM aims to ensure younger people feel equipped to do what helps them get through tough times. This is part of ITV’s commitment to encourage 200 million actions to support mental or physical health by 2023.

Viewers will be encouraged to visit itv.com/whatgetsyouthrough for more information and access to CALM’s helpline services.

Simon Gunning, CEO for Campaign Against Living Miserably said “At a time when young people’s mental wellbeing is coming under increasing strain, our partnership with ITV2 is vital in challenging unhelpful stereotypes that stop young people from seeking the help they need. Together with ITV2 we can ensure this vibrant yet vulnerable audience has the skills and confidence to deal with whatever life may throw at them.”

Susie Braun, Director of Social Purpose at ITV said “At ITV we’re on a mission to normalise caring for our mental wellbeing proactively, whatever that looks like for you. We wanted to steer clear of self-care stereotypes, so we hope a bit of humour and relatability will help viewers think about what they can do on a tough day.”

Tony Pipes, Executive Creative Director of ITV Creative said & "Young people have been going through a lot. I hope this campaign will demonstrate how they can take a bit of the pressure off, by using any tools at their disposal to get through the bad days - even if it is just scoffing a hot dog in the bath. They can just find what works for them.”

Media planning and buying is through Essence.

About ITV Social Purpose:

ITV is More Than TV. We connect with millions of people every day, make content they can't get enough of, and reflect and shape the world we live in and we do all of this through the power of creativity. Reflecting and shaping the world we live in gives us a great opportunity: to change ITV for better, and to use our content to reach and inspire positive change in the wider world. This is ITV's Social Purpose - shaping culture for good. We do this across four focus areas: Better Mental and Physical Health, Diversity & Inclusion, Climate Action and Giving Back.

For more information, please visit itvplc.com/socialpurpose