Creative Direction | Collaboration | Client Communication | Design Production
Reaching BIPOC Communities on the Subject of Mental Health
Problem:
How to address mental health in often overlooked marginalized communities. Mental Health lifestyle and resources are often directed at and portrayed by young white adults and rarely addresses the cultural nuances and histories of different backgrounds to assist in healing.
“Ethnic racial minorities often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental disorders. While rates of depression are lower among Black people (24.6%) and Hispanics (19.6%) than White people (34.7%), depression is more likely to be persistent and reoccur in these populations.”
— American Psychiatric Association
Solution:
Rising Tide Interactive (RTI) worked as part of a multi-company collaboration with Provoc, Meta,and Alliance of National Psychological Associations for Racial and Ethnic Equity-which includes the Association of Black Psychologists, the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, the Asian American Psychological Association, and the National Latinx Psychological Association. Together these groups worked across multiple channels of communication and collateral to develop new user experiences.
Meta provided the first initial brand identity for the campaign and worked directly with RTI to exchange assets. I as the lead designer from RTI on this project worked within their brand guide to create graphics for each sub group of the Alliance of National Psychological Associations for Racial and Ethnic Equity.
RTI was instructed to create graphics for Facebook Interactive Experiences and Instagram Guides that would be featured on each sub group’s page profile. Each version would have to be crafted with messaging and imagery that represented the values of each identity. I sourced imagery for each panel that displayed a variety of age groups, skin tones, regional identities, and authentic voices to better represent these groups that we were trying to reach. Especially in the Latinx group for showing a variety of skin tones and inclusion of Afro-Latino representation, and in the AAPI group to show South and Southeast Asians that often get left out of conversations and representations in photography.
I worked with our copy writers, translators, and video producer to create the products which then we ran through each part of the the stakeholder process.
Association of Black Psychologists
The ABP guide and experience was the one most designed by our partner Meta during the brand guide discussions. We ended up keeping a few panels and imagery as they had set forth and bolstered some of the new panels with photography that showed the quiet moments of kindness to the self and within the community.
Instagram Guide Panels
Facebook Interactive Experience
Full experience broken up for viewing on page, please click on images to view at a larger size
National Latinx Psychological Association
The NLPA guide and experience was produced in two versions. One in English and one in Spanish. We strived to show a variety of age ranges, skin tones, and body types in our creative. We focused on the sense of inner reflection and connecting with joys or being present.
Instagram Guide Panels
Facebook Instant Experience
Full experience broken up for viewing on page, please click on images to view at a larger size
Asian American Psychological Association
The AAPA guide and experience was produced in two versions. One in English and one in Mandarin Chinese, I do wish the client would have produced the creative in other languages beyond Chinese to reach a wider demographic in a native or secondary language. The primary ask from the client for this project was to include more than East Asian subjects as that is what is prevalent among representation and we wanted to spotlight South Asian, South East Asian and Pacific Islander communities that are often forgotten under the AAPI umbrella. The client only wanted the Instant Experience for these versions.
Facebook Instant Experience
Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
The IWRI guide and experience focused on pride in native identity. Our messaging was focused on inner balance and the sharing of stories for community. The client specifically requested a depiction of joy to combat the racist stereotype of the “serious Indian”. Again we wanted to focus on Native peoples of the America, which included Southeast and Alaskan indigenous cultures.
Instagram Guide Panels
Facebook Instant Experience
Results and Key Takeaways:
33.9 Million People Reached by Mid-August
848K Clicks
234 Million Impressions
Overall since we all agreed on a look and voice for the project at the beginning, the designs recieved very little rounds of edits from the stakeholders. The different partner groups were all ecstatic that their voices and concerns were valued and acted upon by our team. We kept up communication at every level and met virtually to discuss ideas and feedback throughout the process.
Role: Lead Digital Designer on behalf of Rising Tide Interactive
Programs Used: Photoshop