Hong Kong is one of the saddest cities in the world. 61% of adults struggle with mental illnesses, 21% have moderate to severe anxiety, 18.3% have Depression and 33.8% have Post Traumatic Stress. Additionally, 74% of those with mental health problems did not seek professional help. Especially during COVID-19, these number increased exponentially. 

We collaborated with a famous local character artist and created the first virtual Emotional Assistant (EA) character. With an “add oil” hand (which is locally known as a sign of encouragement), and a stethoscope linked to a phone, we showed that listening to the affected person’s problems along with giving positive energy is part of the treatment and in a shape of a pill head. Based on local insights and research, we highlighted some of the scenarios that most commonly cause depression, anxiety and stress, and how our “emotional assistant” was there to listen and to help.

The campaign received rave reviews as audiences not only saw themselves and their problems reflected in the characters, but also observed the positive effects of communicating their problems. We also saw a huge increase in audiences taking the PHQ9 test as well as doctor visits to seek help.