Mental health affects everyone and it needs to be discussed openly.
Lorraine Lee, who established Inward in 2020, has dedicated the past two years to building Inward into a global community initiative that raises awareness for mental health and trauma. Mental health is a topic that affects everyone, and we should be able to talk about it openly. However, it still needs more attention, education and awareness at the societal level.
That’s why when Lorraine decided to complete a logo refresh to better reflect upon Inward’s missions and values, she decided to partner with The Orangeblowfish to undergo this task. Rebranding is an overwhelming task, no matter the size of an organization.
What are people experiencing from the lockdown?
It is without a doubt, that some people are experiencing the impacts of loneliness, isolation, a lack of their usual support resources whilst others are having difficulty coping with existing mental health struggles or new emotional adversity triggered by the lockdowns. Many individuals tend to lead active social, personal, and work lives to help cope with everyday difficulties. Given today’s lockdown, many individuals may feel isolated and incredibly overwhelmed because they have lost the coping mechanisms they once relied upon.
Since the lock down started in Shanghai in March 2022, The Orangeblowfish leadership team has been making a conscious effort to reach out to their team members on a regular basis. From organizing daily check-ins and virtual happy hours, to celebrating team birthdays online as well as arranging food emergency boxes when the going seemed tough.
TOBF boosts employee morale during Shanghai Lockdown
“Mental health affects everyone and given the current lock down situation, the anxiety is real. As an independent business owner and a mother of two young children, it’s been challenging to find the right balance. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a great support network personally and professionally who I can reach out to when I need it. Having gone through the Shanghai lock down in 2020, I’m confident that we can get through this together by showing each other empathy, compassion and having open and honest communications about our own challenges,” says Natalie Lowe, Managing Partner of TOBF.
How can organizations play a part in supporting mental health?
“There is a strong trend these days of brands developing a more authentic and relatable voice with their target markets. This is no different with mental health. For brands to really be relatable, they need to focus on understanding the needs and feelings of those experiencing mental health struggles,” added Lee.
Organizations can start by creating content that is inclusive, strong and modern. People love to interact with beautiful, thoughtful and trendy brands that have a carefully curated look and feel to them. Lee notices that most branding initiatives for mental health are often very plain or medical leaving individuals feeling like there’s something wrong with them. There is a strong trend these days of brands developing a more authentic and relatable voice with their target markets. This is no different with mental health.
For brands to really be relatable, they need to focus on understanding the needs and feelings of those experiencing mental health struggles such as:
• What is the profile of your target audience and what are their needs?
• How do they want to be spoken to?
• What are they hoping to feel or receive as a result of interacting with your brand content?
• Show how your organization can provide actionable support.
“People want to feel they are engaging in a safe, non-judgmental space that is empathetic to how they may be feeling and know that support is available if they need it. Rather than perceiving mental health as an illness and needs to be hidden, organizations can help by building an environment where people can feel empowered to talk about it openly,” concludes Lee.
If you need help and don’t know where to start looking for support, Inward can help connect you to the right resources and/or mental health professionals.
Interested in learning more about The Orangeblowfish and how we can help you elevate conversations around your social impact initiative? Book a consultation with us now!