Ugly Truths

Challenge & Goal
For many Canadians, the holiday season isn’t a time of cheer. The CMHA wanted to balance the conversation so people in need of help would know they weren’t alone and that resources were available.

INSIGHTS & STRATEGY While media narratives focus on gift ideas and family gatherings during the holidays, 1 out of 2 Canadians suffer from loneliness, anxiety and depression at this time of year. Rather than fight the festive spirit, we used a holiday icon as a trojan horse for national media and social influencers to bring attention to the “ugly” side of the season and let people know there was support available.

EXECUTION We used the iconic “ugly holiday sweater” to highlight the darker side of the festive season and sent one to influential mental health advocates, who then posted selfies on their social pages. Soon, our sweaters and the campaign hashtag #uglyholidaytruths were all over social media and traditional media.