Leeds-based integrated agency, ilk, has been appointed by Aardman, the Academy Award-winning independent studio and creators of Wallace & Gromit, to promote its new mental health campaign, 'What’s Up With Everyone,' which has been developed in partnership with leading researchers and mental health charities.

Following a competitive pitch, ilk has worked closely with the Bristol-based studio to develop a communications strategy around the campaign’s creative; a series of short films aimed at positively impacting the mental wellbeing of young people aged 17-24.

Short film series 'What’s Up With Everyone' introduces five characters, each of whom is contending with an issue related to loneliness, perfectionism, competitiveness, independence and social media – five of the most common issues negatively impacting young people, according to the campaign’s research.

The integrated PR, social and digital advertising campaign will see ilk strategically distribute a suite of content across a variety of platforms including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. 

The campaign forms part of a research project commissioned and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, at a time when the pandemic has increased the focus on youth mental wellbeing, with reports that two thirds of young people have experienced worse mental health during the period of lockdown restrictions.

Nev Ridley, managing director at ilk Agency, says, “This has been a really exciting campaign in the making, and we’ve been thrilled to have been involved from the beginning. Offering a fully integrated approach has enabled us to really use our expertise at a time when mental health is arguably more important and more recognised than ever before. It’s been a wonderful campaign to work on and we look forward to helping Aardman make a difference to the wellbeing of young people across the country.”

The campaign was created in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, Loughborough University, the London School of Economics and Politics, young people’s mental health expert,  Dominique Thompson, the Mental Health Foundation and mental wellbeing charity, Happy Space.