It’s proven that talking to someone about your suicidal thoughts can save you. So we launched Step Out, a series of visually compelling ads that shows through illustration that speaking can indeed lead you out of the dark hole that you feel you’re in.

We created a series of six ads, based on the six most common causes of suicidal thoughts as reported by callers to The Samaritans: old age, transgender, study stress, bereavement, small homes and school bullying. Each ad visually expresses the feeling of loss a victim feels in these situations, wrapped with a speaking bubble with the stair to show how our anonymous counsellors can help you find a way out of your dire situation. All using an approachable illustration style and a clear call-to-action to compel those who need help to make the call.

The campaign was launched late April, and as of today there were an increase of 12% calls to The Samaritan for help, creating more awareness and enabling the helpline to save even more people by talking.

This series of six ads is based on six most common causes of suicidal thoughts as reported by callers to The Samaritans. These contents can really engage with real people, and make people reflect themselves in the ads. More importantly, a clear call-to-action can compel those who need help to make the call and really step out from their depressed situations.

Based on the six most common causes of suicidal thoughts as reported by callers to The Samaritans, we highlighted the topics, such as solitary old man, transgender, academic pressure, loss of kinsfolk, dwelling narrowness and bullying. We launched the series in the metro station to reach out Hong Kong people and tell them: “we are here to help you step out your situations.”

It’s proven that talking to someone about your suicidal thoughts can save you. Yet in Hong Kong, because of cultural reasons, people don’t talk about their suicidal, depressing thoughts, especially with people they know. And unfortunately, many aren’t aware that anonymous helplines like The Samaritans exist. The Samaritans wanted to show that they’re there to guide you out of your darkest moments, with the power of talk.