At the start of July Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) launched the latest iteration of its ongoing ‘State Of Mind’ mental health program which encourages Australians to always ‘Be There For An Offload’.
This year’s approach focuses on finding the right language to start a conversation about the all-to-often-avoided topic by giving people a simple piece of language to help both sufferers and their friends realise that, just like in footy/rugby, ‘you need to have your mates in support to keep moving forward’.
Once again, the campaign rolls out to leverage the NRL’s showpiece ‘State Of Origin’ showpiece series between New South Wales and Queensland and focuses on linking the rugby term ‘offload’ to the importance of ‘offloading’ your mental pressures with teammates, friends and qualified professionals.
The executions include the copy: “An offload can change a game, but it can also change someone’s life. Offloads aren’t just important on the field” and seek to drive viewers online to find out more information on the bespoke State Of Mind website at https://www.nrl.com/community/state-of-mind/.
The campaign, via creative agency Galore, is centred around a film deployed across the programme, league and team online platforms.
NRL STATE OF MIND 2021 from Galore on Vimeo.
An offload can change a game, but it can also change someone’s life.
Offloads aren’t just important on the field.
Find out how you can offload or be there for one here: https://t.co/NlwzXqMbJI#NRLStateofMind pic.twitter.com/dMFzVlcJ86
— NRL Community (@NRLCommunity) June 30, 2021
The campaign launched at the start of July across national television and digital channels and was supported by print executions and in-stadium signage.
“The NRL’s State of Mind program is not only an incredibly important initiative, but also a fascinating communications challenge,” outlined Galore Founder Tim Kirby. “We wanted to find a way to normalise the idea of talking about mental health, and the ‘offload’ analogy works as an easy to understand way for people to start doing so.”
Eight Director Courtney Brookes added: “With such a high rate of mental ill health and suicide amongst young men it was a privilege to help the NRL tell this story by showing how important it is to notice the warning signs and to be there for your friends. An offload is such an instinctual play in the game and the intention is to show how easily this translates to life. We need to normalise the sharing of struggles at any point on the complex spectrum of mental health.”
The initiative was briefed in by NRL General Manager (Brand, Communication & Media) Peter Jarmain, Senior Marketing Manager (Brand & Communication) Samantha Feyzeny, Senior Manager (Marketing Lead) Courtney Mace, Marketing Executive Nicola Blatchford, Graphic Designers Lucy Bean and Emilie Sheehan, General Manager (Community Programs) Steve Meredith, Projects Coordinator (NRL Community) Emily Latu, State of Mind Program Coordinator Christian Mott and Community Innovation Programs Manager Alan Tongue by a team at creative agency Galore.
Production was handled by Eight with Director Courtney Brookes, Executive Producer Lib Kelly, DOP Jack Saltmiras, Production Designer Chantel Covey, Editor Stewart Arnott and Sound Designer Nick Keate.
Comment:
Mental ill health affects almost one in every two Australians, so the NRL plays a key national role in de-stigmatising discussing and addressing mental health issues and in helping people connect with one another.
Like previous NRL mental health initiatives such as the 2013 ‘Launch Campaign’ and 2019’s ‘Don’t Stay On The Sidelines’, finding the language to start a conversation is promoted as a crucial step and so breaking down the barriers that hold people back from discussing this kind of ‘uncomfortable’ topic is a key objective.
With its stereotypical macho, indestructible culture, rugby around the world is playing a role in breaking down these barriers and addressing mental health illness and other notable initiatives have included The Rugby Players Association’s (RPA) ‘Lift The Weight’.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.