Mpower, a mental health service provider and initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), has launched #UnpackTheBaggage, a public awareness campaign created with Schbang. The campaign looks at the emotions people often leave unspoken behind everyday responses such as “I’m fine.” Its film uses a familiar object to explore emotional baggage and the experiences people carry as they grow up.
The campaign draws on Mpower’s “Unpack Your Emotional Baggage” survey of young adults aged 18 to 25 across 10 regions in India. According to the findings, 49.5% of respondents said they hide difficult emotions and deal with them alone, while only 9.2% said they had sought professional help.
Roshan Wadhwani, Vice President – Marketing, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said one of the challenges in mental health communication is moving beyond messages people have heard before and making them stop and think. He explained that the idea was to look at a familiar part of everyday life from a different perspective and create something that stays with the viewer and sparks a conversation.
Rajeshwari Rao, National Creative Director, Schbang, said the film is deeply personal to everyone involved, from inception to execution, and that the partnership with ABET was especially gratifying given the subject. Through #UnpackTheBaggage, Mpower aims to highlight the gap between experiencing emotional distress and seeking support, encouraging conversations around emotions and help-seeking.
