OK2TALK: Using Tumblr to Give Youth a Voice to Discuss Mental Illness

Background:  While most people with mental illness are not violent, the incidence of gun-related tragedies—and the Sandy Hook massacre in particular—prompted a public outcry and referendum on how mental illness is addressed in our country, particularly among teens and young adults—the age when three-fourths of mental health disorders manifest.

Program background:  In January 2013, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) joined a new White House effort to reduce stigma around mental illness, using the power of its broadcast megaphone to educate Americans with a PSA campaign to encourage more in-depth conversations about mental health in schools, the workplace, families, and among friends. Ogilvy Public Relations was challenged to deliver a compelling PSA campaign that would drive teens and young adults to an online community where they could open up and share their personal stories of recovery, tragedy, struggle, and hope. We evaluated social platforms to determine which would foster online conversation and community engagement and selected Tumblr as the platform for OK2TALK.org. 

Evaluation Methods and Results:  Just eight months after launching, the television and radio PSAs had nearly 330K combined airings—with airings in all 210 U.S. markets and a reach of more than 1.5 billion—driving teens and young adults to OK2TALK.org. The website has:

• More than 1.2 million page views and 29,000 followers;
• More than 6,900 content submissions;
• Thousands of engagements, including likes and reblogs of user-submitted content; and
• More than 117,000 clicks on the “Get Help” resources link.

Furthermore, consumer engagement contributed to a 7% increase in calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (promoted prominently on OK2TALK.org) in July/August 2013 compared to 2012—approximately 13,000 calls.

Conclusions:  While platforms like Facebook were considered for the social hub of OK2TALK, we selected Tumblr because it is the most popular social networking site for teens and young adults who are interested in creating and sharing content. Tumblr users can participate anonymously and the platform’s functionality offers the ability for moderation—both critical to creating a safe environment that fosters conversation and sharing on a sensitive subject. 

Implications for research and/or practice:  OK2TALK reinforced several “must do’s” for communications targeted to teens and young adults:

• Be authentic. Tap in to the audience teens trust most—their peers—and use peer-to-peer storytelling to open the lines of communication. Speak their language by using human interest stories and unscripted testimonials in PSAs to create an emotional connection and relevance.
• Inspire action. Create a strong call to action that motivates teens and young adults. Don’t expect them to consume static information; invite them to contribute to the dialogue by adding their own voice or other creative content.
• Go where they are. Ninety-five percent of teens use the Internet. Develop an online community on a social platform like Tumblr or Facebook that reaches teens directly and creates an environment that fosters conversation and sharing.