A men’s mental health campaign, tackling the damaging notion of ‘manning up’.
Brief
As creatives, we crave opportunities that push our boundaries. We wanted to challenge ourselves to take on a larger scale production – something we haven’t yet explored with a client. We landed on a topic that we could all relate to; men’s mental health. We knew that we could offer our talents to a cause that really mattered and create some really impactful work.
Planning
Early on in the planning phase, we partnered up with MANUP?, a men’s mental health charity, whose mission seemed to align perfectly with the story we wanted to tell. To bring our vision to life, we filmed a pre-vis, acting as a quick, low-budget version of our ultimate video concept. Next came scouring the talent pool to bring the script to life and searching for ideal locations for each shoot.
Shoot
The pre-vis made the shoots much more efficient. We arrived at each location, knowing exactly what shots we needed to produce. This level of preparation is invaluable, particularly when working with actors and extras, so they aren’t left hanging around for too long. Then we got to work on turning a quiet pub into an afterwork hotspot and filling an empty football pitch with a team of players. We got the chance to whip out some new kit, allowing us to push creative boundaries and capture dynamic shots.
Edit
This is the moment when our project comes together before our eyes. The sound, colour-grading, transitions and visual effects all played a vital role in setting the tone and telling the story perfectly. Given the large-scale nature of this project, this phase took slightly longer than usual. We found that even the tiniest tweaks could make a monumental impact.
Message
Although storytelling typically defines our approach, we had never really touched on a story so deep. Recognising the delicate nature of the topic, we knew we had to convey the message with respect and purpose. When deliberating on the core message for the campaign, we kept coming back to the notion of ‘manning up’. This overarching message is addressed throughout the campaign and supported by statistics provided to us by our charity partner, MANUP?.
MANUP?
Choosing to partner with MANUP? was an easy decision, as their mission aligned so perfectly with the message we wanted to deliver. Their dedication to tackling stigma around mental health and promoting support systems is admirable and deeply impactful. Through this collaboration, we wanted to use our talents and resources to help them drive meaningful change and create a culture of understanding and support for those battling mental health challenges.
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Menace Media is brilliant!
Initially, I was a bit hesitant because I wasn’t expecting much. My previous experiences often involved others wanting to push their perspective rather than understanding MANUP? and our followers. However, Dennis and his team genuinely took the time to understand our message. The video they created is so relatable and truly captures what we’re all about. I’m incredibly grateful for their effort, understanding, and the fantastic work they’ve done. Thank you, Menace Media!
The Behind-The-Scenes Documentary
With so much going on behind the scenes, we figured it would be interesting to document the whole creative journey. Watch as an idea evolves into a poignant campaign.
