People’s mental health, affected by the effects of the global pandemic, is a topic that is starting to capture the attention of many: from governments to brands to even Hollywood stars.

The Icelandic Tourism Board, for example, is inviting people to let out their frustrations by screaming at the top of their lungs. This is the campaign Looks Like You Need Iceland which has a website where people’s screams are recorded and then broadcast through microphones scattered around the most evocative landscapes of Iceland. In this way, they offer the benefits of “scream therapy” and, at the same time, invite the same “patients” to visit the country as soon as possible, to scream at you in person.

With travel at an all-time low and general stress at an all-time high, Iceland has found a clever way to use what is most characteristic of its landscapes, so vast that they are ideal for this kind of outlet.

One of the rare positive aspects that have emerged from the global pandemic is the increase in awareness (and consequent decrease in stigma) on the topic of mental health. Many brands have opened a dialogue with their consumers, inviting people to free themselves from their frustrations, feel loved and improve in managing stress.

One of the very few positive aspects that have emerged from the global pandemic is the increase in awareness (and consequent decrease in stigma) on the topic of mental health.

H&M Lab, the German innovation centre of the H&M brand, has created a denim jacket with sensors capable of giving the wearer the sensation of being hugged. Controlled by an app, users send and receive “hugs” by activating the integrated sensors at shoulder height.

Digital sports have also evolved in this direction. Skillshot, an e-sports company, has partnered with The Community New York and Rise Above the Disorder (RAD) – a group founded by gamers with a focus on mental health – to create in-game therapy sessions between participants and professionals in the field, adding a new way to reach people who may require support.

When you get close to the public and experience their needs firsthand, great things can happen.

More generally

We can’t talk about how important self-care has become without talking about the huge success that wellness and meditation apps have had. “Calm” is at the top of the list with a 36% growth in downloads between January and April 2020: coverage is around 100 million users, of which 4 million are subscribers. The app strategically sponsored CNN’s election coverage, which resulted in 35,000 downloads between November 3 and 4, compared to a daily average of 26,000. It is among the 65 most popular apps in the App Store, climbing 54 spots. “Calm” is now worth $2 billion.

“Headspace” was the first app to offer free memberships to frontline doctors and first responders. It later expanded free access to all unemployed people, as well as offering a collection of free content to those living in New York, in partnership with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Last year, it raised more than $100 million in two Series C rounds.

Both apps have made it to Hollywood. “Headspace” has signed a deal with Netflix for three original seasons and with Kevin Heart to produce content that demonstrates, among other things, that laughter could be the best medicine. “Calm” has launched a 10-episode TV series produced by HBO Max, with the participation of celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Keanu Reeves.

In these uncertain and unusual months, we can be happy to see how such an important topic, which has always been put on the back burner – mental health and its consequences – is now being supported by celebrities, brands and even tourism boards. Proving that, when you get close to the public and experience their needs firsthand, great things can happen. Whether you feel anxious, depressed or isolated. We all have the right to not be well and to admiterlo senza il timore di sentirci meno.