Most PSAs intensify the drama, the crisis. The power of this one by Edelman for Johnson & Johnson is that it keeps its emotionality real. That’s a strange thing to write about a film that is full of visual metaphors, but it captures the inescapable feeling of severe depression – both for the sufferer and the caregiver – in a way that feels very real to anyone with experience of the illness. “Real” is critically important in a mental health PSA, given that creating understanding and offering genuine hope are goals. The five-minute film called Breaking Depression: Out of The Maze also offers its solution in a natural way, on a poster in one of its scenes, rather than a tagline.
The film shows the perseverance needed to navigate its day-to-day challenges with an artistic, human-centric to allow the viewer to understand the debilitating reality of severe depression faced by both people living with the condition and their caregivers, and how by working together, there is always a way forward.
Its maze metaphor was inspired by real-life anecdotes and analogies shared by people living with depression and caregivers in online communities and conversation forums.
J&J’s strategy and creative team at Edelman spent weeks researching and social listening to understand that for many, severe depression can feel like an inescapable maze full of twists, turns and setbacks in the pursuit of a path towards recovery – for patients and caregivers alike. This research was complemented by counsel and insights from the Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Network (GAMIAN) Europe and the European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness (EUFAMI).
The film’s power is also the result of insightful directing decisions by directors, Pedro Giomi and Leo Cosme, and its production by Czar Sao Paulo.
Breaking Depression: Out of The Maze also focuses on caregivers, knowing that it is these people who step up when they see a loved one immobilised by illness, acknowledging their resilience and making them know that they do make a significant difference in the lives of those they care for.
“As someone who has watched someone I care about struggle with severe depression, I am so proud of my colleagues at Johnson & Johnson for launching Breaking Depression: Out of the Maze,” stated Berkin Gökbudak, senior director commercial strategy for Neuroscience, PH and CVM, Johnson & Johnson. “The evolved campaign hinges on an important insight – the vital role that caregivers play in supporting someone living with severe depression. Often this support network is the key to their loved one attending and remaining engaged in medical discussions, seeking the right support, and finding a path towards recovery.”
