It may surprise you to know that Hong Kong is one of the saddest cities in the world. 61% of adults struggle with mental illnesses, while 74% of those will never seek professional help. As I’m sure we all can admit, when we’re sad, we tend to listen to sad songs. So, what if we could use technology to identify those people when they need help the most and reach out with support?
 
Collaborating with JOOX, Asia’s largest music streaming service, the team in China used data to identify users who showed a sudden interest in melancholy music. Then, they interrupted their playlists with a proactive ad, a voice that said they may be suffering from depression and directed them to take a simple test online to assess their wellbeing and find out more. Depending on their results, the website encouraged them to seek out the professional help they may need.
 
The results have been amazing – since the campaign began, 6,000 users have taken the test. The average visit to the test was three minutes – compared to traditional promotion methods, people who visited the website stayed five times longer. The most important result? The people it touched. The response from providers and patients alike has been extraordinary. Not Another Sad Song is the perfect example of harnessing existing technology to meet people where they are to create a behavior change that could truly have a life-changing impact.