It’s okay to say you’re not okay
You Good? That’s the question we ask when we reach out to a friend, co-worker, or neighbor. So that’s where we started. The You Good? campaign is working to shift perceptions around mental health by breaking the cycle of trauma through mental health services and self-care. We created the campaign in partnership with Children’s Institute, Inc. (CII), the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and a local coalition of organizations and residents.
1 — The Challenge
Of the community, by the community, for the community
Mental health and self-care have a tendency to be deprioritized and stigmatized, particularly in communities where trauma is prevalent due to COVID-19, over-policing, and chronic underinvestment caused by racist policies and systems. This leads to a cycle of generational trauma, which has a profound physical and emotional impact on children and families. We needed to create a campaign that would elicit trust, approval, and ultimately endorsement from the community.
2 — The Brand
Celebration of representation
We conducted a series of focus groups with community members and organizations to determine the appropriate tone and style of the You Good? brand. Utilizing community feedback, we created a brand voice that was respectful, trustworthy, and sincere. Additionally, all content was created in both English and Spanish. The campaign name itself asks a question, sparking a moment of self-reflection and an approachable, casual conversation with the audience.
Brand Identity — The You Good? type system is versatile, bold, and contemporary, while a range of colors are deployed thoughtfully to express emotional tones. The photography features local community members who are celebrated with tactile, collage-style augmentations.
Photography & Video — We produced photoshoots featuring local community members and focused on a celebration of interpersonal relationships. These themes of representation and connection continued throughout the video production process, as we worked with local care providers to share their personal history in the community and how they work in partnership with children and families.
Brand Guide — We delivered a comprehensive guide for the You Good? team with specific instructions and examples surrounding color palette, type system, illustration system, and photography style to ensure brand cohesiveness across channels.
Brand Art — The casual, approachable tone of the art invites a moment of curiosity, allowing the audience to reflect and examine their emotional wellness in the moment and what it means to feel good. By providing this moment of introspection, we establish a deepened connection with our audience and invite further exploration of the campaign.
3 — The Website
A homebase for understanding, support, and connection
Swell created a website that allows parents, caregivers, and community members to engage in the campaign on a personal level, on behalf of the kids in their life, or as members of a broader community invested in the health and well-being of their neighbors. YouGood.LA serves as an invitation to prioritize mental health and self-care, educating visitors on the sources and symptoms of trauma and the many ways one can seek help for themselves or others.
From tools to help adults and children in the moment, to a streamlined form to request professional supportive services and opportunities to join the campaign as an individual or organization, the website provides resources and easy onramps for varying levels of engagement and connection.
Website Design — From the homepage, visitors are invited to participate in an interactive self-check to assess how they are feeling in the moment and, based on their responses, are guided to additional content available throughout the site.
UI Elements — Infusing the brand into basic UI elements like carousels and cards created a sense of levity and approachability.
Mobile Design — Knowing that our target audiences would span from desktop to mobile users, we ensured that our designs were responsive according to the screen size on display.
4 — Social Media
Bridging the generational divide
In considering the multi-generational approach to the campaign, Swell decided to focus on multiple social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, to share short, entertaining content for all ages featuring practical ways to improve mental health and practice self-care.
Social Media — Our visually captivating posts leverage graphics, short animations, exercises, videos, and affirmations that mirror–and increase engagement with–the tools and resources available through the website, while also building a digital community.
5 — Ad Campaign
South LA Saturation
Our paid promotion plan brought visibility and awareness to the You Good? campaign in order to familiarize and destigmatize symptoms of trauma, highlight the long-term negative impact trauma can have when left untreated, and urge the importance of early intervention for children who have experienced trauma.
With a goal of 10 million impressions across all placements, we spread our ad placements across digital, print, and out-of-home to meet South LA residents where they are and best accommodate our objectives of awareness, engagement, and action.
Billboard Ads — Our designs incorporated the hand-drawn elements and bold color palette of the brand to communicate an emotional tone, human touch, and quickly pique the interest of those in transit.
Wild Postings — We leveraged brightly colored street-level marketing in high-traffic, densely populated areas in South LA to grab the attention of passersby to grow education and awareness of the brand.
6 — The Impact
Gaining traction
The goals of this campaign were to build awareness, cultivate an engaged community, drive website traffic, and encourage action.
In only a few short months, our OOH campaign reached more than 16 million impressions, the social following jumped from 0 to over 2,500, the site received more than 20,000 views, and hundreds of people completed one or more of the CTAs present on the site.
As word spread, the local NBC news affiliate covered the story, providing free press and furthering the important message of mental health prioritization for all.
We were honored to receive a Webby Award for this campaign and are still feelin’ good about it. How about you. You good?