Breaking Depression: Out of the Maze
HEALTHCARE/DISEASE AWARENESS/JOHNSON & JOHNSON/2024/EDELMAN
Severe depression is a consuming and debilitating condition that can feel inescapable, for both the person living with it and their caregiver(s). In the search for a path towards recovery, they both encounter twists, turns, and setbacks along the journey, making life feel like a maze from which it seems impossible to escape.
Brief: To evolve J&J's existing Breaking Depression disease awareness campaign to highlight the perseverance of people living with severe depression, the challenging journey it can present and the important role caregivers play to help those they care for navigate through difficult obstacles.
Insight: For people living with severe depression as well as their caregivers, the condition can make you feel trapped. Whether it's going from one treatment to the next, having the same conversations in a loop, or listening to all the well-intentioned advice like, “why don’t you try some yoga?"
Society today is increasingly comfortable with people talking about their mental health journeys and while this is hugely positive, people who feel like they’ve tried everything and there’s still no happy end in sight may feel lost and frustrated.
Execution: To depict this journey, we created an emotionally compelling film of a patient and their caregiver lost in the 'maze of severe depression.' The maze is demonstrates some of the commonly trialled recommendations for people living with the condition - yoga and group therapy - as well as a hospital ward to show the unfortunate reality severe depression can cause. The film balances the confusion and frustration felt by patients and caregivers, with the resilience and hope these people exhibit daily. Apart from the film, we also created a rich 3D maze shown in two different angles. When zoomed in, the illustration shows small details that patients could experience - like an old pizza box or a large pile of laundry - with the surrealism of the 'options' offered to help patients like therapy or social gatherings like bowling. Together, these elements create a rich storytelling metaphor that's bound to be relatable for people with severe depression and their primary caregivers.
Results: Since launching in late September 2024, the campaign has received impressive results and positive feedback from key stakeholders.
1.8M+video views of the hero and social film cuts (exceeded 500K benchmark)
10.6M+social impressions (exceeded 2.5M benchmark)
2.1M+ engagements across digital content (exceeded 10.5K benchmark)
12K+website visits
CREDITS
Clients: Sarah Smith, Alexandra Nisipeanu (Johnson & Johnson)
Chief Creative Officer: Christian Anhut
Creative Lead: Joy Chakravorty
Creative Directors: Marco Serra (Art) & Marcos Alves (Copy)
Director: Pedro Giomi & Leonardo Cosme (Czar Sao Paolo)
Executive Producer: Rodrigo Castello (Czar Sao Paolo)
Editor: Rami D’Aguiar (Czar Sao Paolo)
DOP: Fabio Politi (Czar Sao Paolo)
3D Illustrator: Two&Tall (BOL Studio)
Strategy: Chris McCrudden, Imogen Cooper
Accounts and Client Lead: Shaun Beedle
Project Management: Courtney Rosser, Johann Luetjens, Esra Tanrikorur, Komal Vekaria,
Edelman Producers: Christian Berg, Katja Schloemer, Jana Brkic
Post-Production: Mosh Post Production
Music & Sound Design: Satellite