Stigma: a mark of disgrace. And in Singapore, people with mental health conditions feel its burn every day. The National Council of Social Service wanted to encourage Singaporeans to be more supportive and inclusive – which would mean first overcoming widespread biases.
Powered by a small budget but based on proven reframing techniques, this campaign managed to deliver significant positive shifts in Singaporeans' knowledge, attitudes and behavior – while also creating safe ways for all Singaporeans to talk about this once-taboo subject.
We may not have swept away the stigma for good, but we took a big bite out of it.
Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner – which makes them different from known biases, which individuals may choose to conceal for the purposes of social and/or political correctness.
Implicit biases often contradict our declared beliefs (e.g., “Singaporeans should adopt a more tolerant attitude toward people with mental health conditions”). They typically favour our “in-group” – meaning, it’s usually “the others” who suffer the consequences of our bias. And they are pervasive, even among those of us who fervently believe ourselves to be impartial.
Fortunately, implicit biases can be “unlearned.” And if our campaign successfully employed the right reframing techniques, we and Singapore’s people with mental health conditions just might shift the narrative.
But to do this, we needed to get people talking.
BEYOND THE LABEL is our driver for change, to progress our nation towards a road of acceptance and inclusion so people with mental health conditions can finally experience life with the same dignity just like the rest of us.
Our movement became a safe space for the public to speak openly about mental illness by reframing it: not “sick people” but “resilient individuals.”
We urged society to peel off the labels we place on people with mental health conditions, and open our hearts and minds to finally see them for who they truly are, beyond their diagnosis.
To take a stand, and unite against mental health stigma.
Society has highly stereotypical views towards mental health conditions, and this is exacerbated by media reports that often link mental illness with violence or portray people with mental health conditions as dangerous, unstable individuals.
However, this is far from the truth.
A social experiment was conducted to help Singaporeans recognise their deeply embedded prejudices and stereotypes towards people with mental health conditions.
Case Study Video
Social Experiment Video
Key Visuals (Out-of-Home, Social, Online Display)
People tend to empathize more with a few representative “victims” than with a larger group of “statistics”; at the same time, the spectrum of mental health conditions is broad and nuanced, making it difficult for laymen to grasp.
So to build both empathy & knowledge, our campaign focuses on 5 persons in recovery – “ambassadors” personifying the most common conditions (depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and generalized anxiety disorder) and representing different facets of society.
These ambassadors proudly articulate their quiet strength and resilience as a rallying symbol for Singapore to start a conversation around the stigma.
We’re naturally drawn to what feels familiar, which puts people with mental health conditions, with whom most of us don’t knowingly come into frequent contact, at a big disadvantage.
But like most people, people with mental health conditions also follow a similar life trajectory, with many shared experiences: education, employment, dating, marriage, raising children, even pursuing similar hobbies.
So to build salience while encouraging perspective-taking, our campaign reveals the unexpectedly similar life experiences our ambassadors share with most Singaporeans.
Through these emotive recovery stories, the public recognises the prejudices they encounter on a daily basis, the similarities of their life’s encounters and the importance of support from peers and loved ones.
Four stories of resilience. One message of hope.
Video Testimonials
“So, what am I thankful for? You tell me, because it’s hard for me to choose.”
~Sumaiyah Mohamed, in recovery from schizophrenia.
“When you are in a dark place, you need all the support you can get. And I’m really thankful I never had to do it alone.”
~Nicholas Patrick, in recovery from clinical depression.
“At the end of the day, 10 spoons or two, I can still make a difference.”
~Nichole Kay, in recovery from clinical depression.
“Thanks to the support, I’ve finally turned the page to a new chapter.”
~Desmond Ng, in recovery from schizophrenia.
Editorial Partnerships
Social content were developed in partnership with publishers SGAG and Our Grandfather Story, to help drive education of mental health stigma more intuitively with our youths. The Social Experiment was also shared on SGAG to drive incremental engagements towards the campaign.
SGAG examined the various prejudicial statements people with mental health conditions had to deal with daily from the their peers oblivious to these seemingly normal insensitivities.
Our Grandfather Story and our ambassadors tackled difficult and candid questions around mental health conditions and the stigma surrounding it.
Influencer Engagement
As a taboo topic shrouded in stigma, not everyone with mental health issues is willing to talk openly about it. Despite this, there are still advocates who stand for and support people with mental health conditions.
The #BEYONDTHELABEL pendant is an outward display of solidarity that serves as a reminder to society that support begins with a conversation around this issue.
For people with mental health conditions, it is a quiet reminder of the strength and courage displayed in their road to recovery.
Discreet, gender-neutral and sophisticated, this unique pendant is designed for wearers to turn it into a bracelet or necklace with an accompanying braid or a pin for any occasion.
Smôl Tôk Game
To further the discussion on mental health, Beyond the Label developed a card game - Smôl Tôk with Starnicked.
Smôl Tôk is easy to play. Each card carries a question on familiar topic, such as work, hobbies and relationships – experiences that can happen to everyone, including persons with mental health conditions.
In making players realise how much of their life experiences are actually similar to what people with mental health conditions go through, Smôl Tôk can help the public empathise and see persons in recovery beyond their diagnosis.
