I read a stat the other day that really shook me. The suicide rate among young women is the highest it’s ever been. That means that every two days we lose a woman under 25 to suicide. (Calm, 2024). This shook me, because I turned 26 the other day, and so I'm only just older than that age bracket. I have friends that fall into that bracket, some of my family and even colleagues fall within that bracket.
Whilst chatting about this particular statistic with a colleague of a similar age recently, the biggest question we had was WHY? Of course, there are many reasons why and it is a very difficult question to answer; from the impact of learning how to navigate new relationships, to career pressure and economic uncertainties. But, one of the main themes that cropped up in our discussion was social media. Social media has exploded within my lifetime. Myspace, Bebo and Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter (or X…). Oh, and of course, TikTok. Whilst they were all at their early stages, or didn’t even exist yet in my formative years, 84% of 8-12 year olds today now have a social media account (Cybersafe Kids, 2023). I barely knew how to work a smartphone at that age, and now kids as young as my niece on two-and-a-half, have access to a multitude of content quicker than you can say E-I-E-I-O. It doesn’t take a genius to find the correlation between these platforms and the aforementioned statistic. The endless scrolling, the rabbit hole of content, good and bad, and the streams of negative news. We all know it can’t be good for our brains.
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. When I decided I wanted to write about the effects of social media on mental health, I wasn’t sure which angle to take. But, I knew I didn’t want to just reel off stats and scare-mongering figures. Because that doesn’t help anyone. As part of KI’s commitment to learning and knowledge sharing, I am on the trends team, where we collate the latest trends from the last week, every week. So, I delved into our trend archives, which we have been working on for the best part of a year now. What I was reminded of, was all of the GOOD that some of the big brands in the kids and family space are working on to combat issues surrounding childrens’ emotional wellbeing. It’s slow, it can always be better, but conversations are happening and things are changing. Brands have taken to talking about these important issues, offering advice and support to the people that need it most. Something which I know many people of my age would have benefited from in the early years of navigating social media.
I have selected the following creative campaigns (which ironically were found through social media…so hey, it can be used as a force for good!) from the last year, that I feel do a really great job of addressing and confronting issues around mental health and have hopefully helped young people in a supportive and uplifting way:
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th May 2024), McDonald’s removed their iconic smile from Happy Meal boxes after research showed that 48% of UK children feel pressured to always look happy. Instead, they included stickers with various facial expressions within the Happy Meals, allowing kids to show how they really feel. McDonald’s are also working closely with BBC Children in Need, with a dedicated hub of resources designed to help families talk about emotional well-being.
2. Headspace XR - A playground for your mind
Headspace XR partnered with Meta Quest to launch a new immersive meditation and mindfulness app offering mood-boosting games, guided meditations, and mind-body techniques through movement and breathing. All designed to engage younger generations, it promotes positive socialisation and community building, providing a safe space for young people to explore their feelings in a healthy, engaging way that taps into the kind of technology that they are used to.
3. Sesame Street - Gift of Giggles
Over the summer, Sesame Street launched their ‘Gift of Giggles’ campaign to support children's emotional wellbeing by celebrating the power of humour and laughter. It included a new digital series featuring iconic characters paired with young kids to showcase what makes them giggle, as well as a summer comedy tour, and new products. The campaign aims to celebrate and share smiles, humour, and joy with fans worldwide, placing emphasis on the importance of laughter in learning and emotional development.
4. Asics - Little Reminders: Reminding adults to move for their minds
In March, Asics introduced the world's youngest exercise influencer team, a group of 7 and 8 year-olds, to remind adults to exercise for how it makes them feel, not just for physical gains. Based on research that found 63% of adults admit the main reason they exercise is for physical gain, while 77% do it for fun, the team helped create the first exercise guide made by children to highlight movement's positive impact on the mind.By flipping something that’s often seen as a ‘chore’ by adults on its head, “returning to the mindset of our younger selves is a great way to conceptualise the full mental benefits of movement and exercise.” (Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos)
5. Maybelline X Ditch the Label - Brave Together
And finally, coinciding with World Mental Health Day (10th October) as part of their ‘Brave Together’ initiative Maybelline collaborated with studio Nice and Serious to release a 90-second hero film in partnership with ‘Ditch the Label’ in a bid to reset young people’s outlook on social media. This came as further research reveals that ‘73% of Gen Z suffer with anxiety and depression, with these feelings being exacerbated by increased social media usage.’ The ad encourages young people to make use of ‘Ditch the Label’ a global youth charity which provides a safe, digital-first space for 12-25 year olds struggling with issues surrounding mental health, relationships and identity.
These are just a glimpse of the work brands are doing to address issues around emotional wellbeing in children. And with the conversations and action that is emerging around online safety and social media usage it’s important now, more than ever, that we continue to address them. I just know I would have benefitted from having access to safe spaces, and being part of conversations like these when I was growing up. So, let’s hope we learn from them and continue to develop innovative ways to best support the next generation of scrollers…!
