The Samaritans are in the business of saving lives

The Samaritans have since 1974 in Hong Kong, provided support via a 24-hour call service. Talking issues through with a non-judgmental person has been proven to help alleviate distress and in many cases, save lives.

Hong Kong’s high suicide rate means that this service is vital

Hong Kong suicide rate is above that of comparable OECD countries and has historically been linked to factors like economic change. Importantly talking can save lives.

International studies about the effectiveness of suicide prevention hotlines have shown;

• 12% of suicidal callers said that talking to someone using a helpline call service prevented them from harming or killing themselves

• Almost 50% followed through with a counsellor's referral to seek emergency services or contacted mental health services

• About 80% said that using a helpline call service had something to do with keeping them alive

Dr. Madelyn Gould Professor of clinical epidemiology in psychiatry at Columbia University found in a 2012 study that of Lifeline callers, suicide prevention hotlines are people's last line of defence against the final act of suicide or the harmful act of a suicide attempt. People will call a suicide hotline with a gun, physically or metaphorically to their heads.

The creative strategy was to establish empathy with people at suicide risk or in general distress

Once empathy with their condition was established, based on understanding of people in these dire circumstances, this increased the likelihood of ‘opening up’ and discussing their problems with a non-judgemental person.

The creative executions have a unifying idea based on a common cross-cultural metaphor that sufferers of clinical depression use to describe their feelings: “The Black Hole of Depression”

Dramatized by the ‘voice balloon / stairs’ creative device, the creative intent was to communicate the fact that: “Talk offers a way out”

Each of the 6 executions in turn create empathy with different feelings and social situations identified as the underlying causes of depression, which can lead to suicidal tendencies:

- Bullying

- Sexuality

- Grief

- Disability

- Loneliness

- Study & Work Pressures

While the ultimate objective was to save lives, the measure of success in The Samaritans’ case was to increase daily call rates by 10% to their helpline during the campaign period. A 23% increase was achieved.