It’s Okay to Say It Out Loud

Bellweather Agency

Client: Vibrant Emotional Health

Vibrant's Inaugural Campaign for NYC 988

Vibrant Emotional Health is the administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the operator of NYC 988, the largest contact center in the entire 988 Network. Vibrant was preparing to launch its first-ever campaign to build public awareness of NYC 988, work historically handled by New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene .

Vibrant wanted the campaign to be relatable and resonate with New Yorkers. We proposed developing a campaign grounded in awareness and prevention, reaching people before they hit a breaking point.

I developed the complete creative brief and the key messaging framework underneath it, including the underlying research. On this account I effectively functioned as the subject-matter expert — my two years inside Vibrant, immersed in the field of suicide prevention, were what let me build a brief and messaging grounded in how the organization and the field actually think about risk, outreach, and language, not just agency-side campaign conventions.

The messaging centered on the shared, everyday challenges New Yorkers face and the ordinary mental health struggles many people carry quietly — a bad day, a worried check-in on a loved one, not knowing exactly what to say. The throughline: reaching out to 988 doesn't require a crisis, preparation, or the right words. It just requires reaching out.

(Creative Director Ali Lee)