A new platform from Kids Help Phone (KHP) is encouraging young people who are struggling with their mental health to “Feel Out Loud” – that is, to push aside the shame and stigma and be honest about their problems.

A two-and-a-half minute digital video dramatizes what happens – and how lost youth can feel – when emotions are kept inside, be they sadness, fear and anger, or happiness and excitement. The spot ends with a call out of Kids Help Phone’s services, which are not only positioned as a way to help, but to given youth a much-needed sense of direction.

“The new platform isn’t just about being loud. It’s about giving your feelings a place to go,” says Athina Lalljee, ACD at McCann Canada. “We wanted to make sure young people felt seen. With each story, we tried to be as realistic and relatable as possible – to create a connection between young people and Kids Help Phone.”

The goal with the spot is to showcase the stories of a number of children who are struggling with their mental health, and how reaching out to the service helped them deal with those issues in an authentic way by allowing them to get their feelings out and work their way through them productively.

The platform is launching on the heels of a strategic rebrand for the non-profit, as it fully embraces its new look and bolder colour palette to deliver a strong message to youth that they can find support by tapping into KHP’s services. Both the rebrand and the platform were developed by McCann Canada, the non-profit’s AOR.

“For more than 33 years, young people have relied on Kids Help Phone for mental health support every day. We want every young person in Canada to know that with Kids Help Phone, their feelings always have a place to go,” explains Katherine Hay, president and CEO of the non-profit. “Kids Help Phone is a safe space where young people can express all of their feelings – as is, without judgment. We’re working to break down the stigma and barriers around mental health and create a world where all youth can ‘Feel Out Loud.'”

The video is screening on YouTube and being promoted across social, with support in games, TV, cinema and OOH. Merchandise and downloadable assets are also spreading the platform’s message. It will remain in market through early 2023, and currently does not have a set end date. Media for the campaign is being handled by Epitaph.

It targets young people across the country, ages six to 27 years, of all backgrounds, ethnicities and identities.