To mark Canada’s recent Mental Health Week, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) launched a campaign, conceived by agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, to rally Canadians around its new brand platform and tagline, “Mental Health is Health.”
This TV spot is part of the campaign which highlights not only the devastating impact of mental illness, but the disparity in the way that people with mental illness are treated compared to those with a physical illness. “We must not stand silent when the human, the civil and the health care rights of people with mental illness are not recognized and respected,” said CAMH President and CEO Dr. Catherine Zahn.
Directed by Caitlin Cronenberg from Untitled Films in Toronto, the broadcast :30 titled “Oxygen” shows a woman who’s seemingly in a hospital bed speaking about her illness. Gradually, though, it’s revealed that she’s not in the hospital receiving treatment but rather at home alone dealing with her mental illness.
Credits
Client The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, Toronto Zak Mroueh, chief creative officer; Catherine Allen, creative director/art director; Ryan Booth, Marcelo Mariano, Jack Curtis, designers; Manali Kulkarni, art director; Dylan Verwey, writer; Jac Benoit, Teresa Bayley, Ola Stodulska, Nadaa Baqui, producers; Tim Hopkins, Sean Bell, Heidi Philip, strategy team. Production Untitled Films, Toronto Caitlin Cronenberg, director; Lexy Kavluk, exec producer; Jennifer Walker, line producer; Kris Bonnel, DP. Casting Ground Glass Media Andrew Deiters, casting director. Editorial Zulobot Marissa Bergougnou, editor. Postproduction The Vanity Stephanie Pennington, exec producer; Hannah Bird, post producer; Michael Medeiros, compositor; Andrew Exworth, colorist. Audio Post/Music Cylinder Sound Brad Nelson, audio/music director; Joshua Mancuso, engineer.
Each year, over 300,000 volunteers power the American Red Cross, responding to an average of 65,000 disasters nationwide. This holiday season, BBDO New York has launched a poignant American Red Cross campaign to increase donations for disaster relief while spotlighting the critical role volunteers play in their mission.
The centerpiece film in this campaign--"Shelter Mom" directed by Anthony Frattolillo via production company One Free Play--tells the story of a family seeking shelter after a devastating natural disaster.
In a powerful twist, the PSA reveals how dedicated and selfless American Red Cross volunteers really are--in this case a mother separated from her family while helping other families in a time of need. The closing message drives home the call to action: “They’re relying on her. We’re relying on you. Please Donate.”
Given all the recent events, this spot really hits home, especially for certain members of the creative and production team. Director Frattolillo and his family had to evacuate from the California forest fires in 2020 and spent time in a shelter. And BBDO New York creative director Greg Gertsner had to evacuate in 1999 during Hurricane Floyd as overflow from a raging nearby river reached his family home.
