Suicide prevention charity CALM has launched a new campaign asking people to recognise the signs of mental health struggles in young people, who may not have the vocabulary, courage or desire to talk about the challenges they’re facing. The campaign highlights research indicating that the 18-24 age group has the hardest time seeking support, underlining the need for networks of people who look out for each other.

While adverts trying to speak to young people about critical issues can often come off as cringey or out of touch, CALM’s films buck the trend thanks to their entertainment-first approach.

It’s a testament to the work of creatives Arnold Jorge, Osagie Samuel and Gareth Ellis at London agency T&Pm, who developed the work off the back of a British Arrows Young Arrows competition. “We conceived the idea as a way to treat the signs of people in trouble as an emergency – using hard-hitting music and humour to deliver the message,” says Samuel.

The films also benefit from collaborating with talent who have close music industry ties, including director Kevin Hudson and drill producer Carns Hill, who created an original track for the project. The lyrics were penned by Samuel and Jorge, both of whom appear in the films (Jorge even performs the lyrics) alongside cameos from Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens and Top Boy’s Kadeem Ramsay.

The work is delivered in bite-sized ‘chapters’ primed for social media, where the films will run in order to reach young people where they spend much of their time.

“As a society, we assume young people are going to be the most equipped to ask for help when they need it, but we now know that they often suffer in silence,” says CALM CEO Simon Gunning. “This Is Not A Drill is therapy by stealth, brilliantly showing the dos and don’ts of really being there for a mate – and putting a great, beaming smile on your face at the same time through its sheer brilliance.”

It’s also refreshing to see drill music being used as a vehicle for a conversation about wellbeing, considering how much the genre tends to be demonised.

Credits:
Agency: T&Pm
Creatives: Osagie Samuel, Arnold Jorge, Gareth Ellis
CCO: Toby Allen
Creative Director: Mark Daw
Director: Kevin Hudson
DOP: Dominic Lake
Edit: tenthree
Post Production: Electric Theatre Collective