Publicis Singapore turns mental health stereotypes upside down

The above print ad was created by Publicis Singapore for Samaritans of Singapore, an organization that provides resources for those struggling with mental health issues. Utilizing what is known as an ambigram, which is a word or image that can be read in more than one way, the campaign strives to challenge people's preconceptions and stereotypes surrounding mental health. The text, at first glance, is a phrase we hear all too often; one that, when viewed upside down, is really a cry for help. It serves to highlight the notion that issues tend to lie beneath the surface. At the risk of sounding cliche, things are rarely what they seem, and those struggling with mental health are no different.

At a time when depression and mental health continue to surge, and warning signs often remain overlooked, I can't applaud those involved with this campaign enough. It is a rarity to be untouched by mental health issues in some capacity, whether you have struggled personally or known someone who has. Despite this, society as a whole tends to perpetuate myths about those affected. Campaigns such as this remind us that too often we take things at first glance, at face value. We too often overlook the signs and signals of those who hurt. Sometimes, we just need a different perspective to see a cry for help.

Creative Milwaukee Artists Needed!

Are you a creative visual designer living in Milwaukee? Do you have a good eye for what makes the clothes you wear really stand out?

If so, keep listening. Printed Onion, a new apparel company that offers "Clothes about where you live and love," might have something that suits your talents.

Printed Onion is a location-based online t-shirt store currently in Chicago, Philly and Boston. Right now, as we seek to launch a market in Milwaukee, we are recruiting quality designers to create t-shirt designs to begin our Milwaukee collection.

In addition to exposure and building a portfolio in graphic arts, designers have the opportunity to earn up to $1,500!

Still interested? Check out www.printedonion.com to see what we're all about. If you think you've got some sweet ideas brewing and want to put your talent to use, I want to hear from you. You can reach me at kevin@printedonion.com, and we can begin moving forward in the process.

Peace, love and t-shirts,

Kevin
Milwaukee City Ambassador
Printed Onion
kevin@printedonion.com

Love Communications & Tobacco Free Utah give smokers a "Clue" about their fate

 

Salt Lake City-based Love Communications created the above ad as part of a print campaign for Tobacco Free Utah, working to garner awareness of successful quitting attempts. The ads stem from the popular board game "Clue", where players solve a murder by identifying the victim, the weapon used and the room serving as the stage for their demise. In the ad, the central figure's smoke lofts into the shape of a rope, one of the possible weapons in the board game, and accompanies the copy in the bottom corner: It wasn't the rope in the conservatory that did him in. Information about Smoke Free Utah is provided as well.

I find this ad to be striking and effective for several reasons: first, the usage of design is commendable. Instead of relying on simple photography and topping it with editing tricks and photoshop layers, we are presented with a shadowy, well-drawn digital image; second, creatively drawing from a popular board game will resonate with a broad range of audiences and allow the message to disseminate with ease; lastly, it benefits from a lack of excessive copy. The one line of copy ties the image and its theme to the client, providing just enough information to guide consumers to further information. It's bold, colorful and creative, and if I were a smoker I'd take the message to heart.