What YouTube creators can teach brands about mental health

This is the first Mental Health Awareness week we have ever had under a global pandemic. It isn’t a pretty picture. Furlough, unemployment, and economic impending doom are causing huge increases in financial stress. Parents are stuck at home, trying to work remotely, and learning the role of teacher, employee, and caregiver. There are increases in domestic violence. People of all ages are feeling isolated, vulnerable, and scared to leave their homes. Everyone seems to be drinking, exercising or baking excessively to cope with the anxiety of a “New Normal” that appears to be extending indefinitely.

Enter every single brand trying to show that they understand what we’re going through and are there for us during this difficult time, with adverts that frankly miss the mark. Lloyds Banking Group put post-it notes on people’s heads again. Even the agency Uncommon - that never puts a foot wrong - decided the best approach to Get Britain Talking was a celebrity-filled Zoom call advert. Instances of brands trying to appear fluffy and caring are nothing new. But something stings differently about these attempts during one of the most fraught mental health episodes our society has collectively experienced.

The consistent public demand during this pandemic to marketers has been for brands to help, not sell. And this is where YouTube creators come in. The popularity of YouTube as a platform has soared, with every age group saying they are watching more online video since lockdown began. YouTube creators have spoken intimately about mental health and self-care for over a decade. They have managed to balance education, vulnerability, and entertainment. Something all brands should strive to do when making any content linked to mental health.

Here are 5 things brands can learn from YouTube creators:

1. ?Consistency. Many brands only talk about mental health during specific awareness activations, which can feel insincere despite the best intentions. The most successful YouTube channels that address mental health issues consistently blend it into their other content and show that mental health struggles are a pervasive element of most people’s lives. Creators will include comments about mental health in other videos, whether that is vlogging, beauty or even gaming content. Viewers get to know their favourite creators as people, which makes mental health issues far more relatable.

2. Know Your Audience. YouTube creators spend a huge amount of time and energy getting to know their audiences, so they know them far better than TV broadcasters know their demographics. Where celebrities take a step back, creators lean in and share the nitty gritty of their lives with a level of insight A-listers never could.  When it comes to discussing mental health and raising awareness, brands should either engage with their customers and audiences in an intimate and personal way or partner with YouTube creators - rather than celebrities - to get a sensitive message out there.

3. Express vulnerability. Successful YouTube creators are rarely preachy when they talk about mental health. They make their audience feel as though they are on a journey together - not as though there is a secret solution or a quick fix. Brands should focus storytelling on the journey for mental health campaigns to relate to their customers.

Inspiring Example: Lockdown sensation Virtual Pub Quiz is currently raising money for The Connection at St Martins charity - a charity close to Jay’s heart as he was homeless for two years.

4. Addressing Criticism. YouTube creators have a brilliant ability to build trust and interact with their audience. But although this intimacy is a great source of power, it can also leave them vulnerable. Creators have dealt with obscene amounts of online hate over the last decade and it can have damaging effects. But many try to turn this connection into something positive, by building closer relationships with viewers in comments or even making videos in response to viewer perspectives. The “quickfire assumptions” format is a great example of this, as creators ask their viewers for assumptions about them over Instagram and make videos reacting to the results, which lets audiences deeply interact with creators on some of the most intimate topics people will ever discuss.  Brands are often protected from the very personal nature of online hate, but could try and build more open and honest content based on customer feedback or featuring C-level executives. 

5. Move beyond the 30 second advert format. It is incredibly difficult to authentically spread a positive brand message in a short TV advert. Experimenting with formats can help you break through the noise and make a real change - like Uncommon and ITV’s Britain Get Talking pause on Britain’s Got Talent.  One of the reasons YouTube creators connect with their audiences so deeply is because the relationship is about building a community with their viewers, over a long period of time, with sound on viewing. Brands need to experiment with formats and serial content to deeply connect with customers.

Mental health issues are incredibly difficult subjects for anyone to address and it is especially tricky territory for brands. However, there is a huge opportunity to have a positive impact and tangibly improve people's lives with successful campaigns. In the future, we hope more brands will work with YouTube creators or be inspired by the way they connect with their audiences.

Feel free to get in touch with [email protected] if you have a campaign idea or want to learn more about YouTube.