Behind the Campaign That Asks How Social Media Can Make Us Less, Not More, Lonely
At this point, to say that ‘COVID-19 changed the world’ has become cliche. But, like with so many cliches, there’s a degree of truth underpinning it.
If the change was one that was always coming, then the pandemic simply quickened its pace. Flexible work arrangements are the new norm, and the terms 'chronically online’ and ‘doom scrolling’ are a part of normal vernacular.
As much as the digital world helped us to find connections in times where connections were scarce, there have been a few hangovers.
It’s easier to jump on a Zoom call than it is to find time to meet up for a coffee to discuss work, messages are quicker than a phone call, and people are more inclined to spend a night at home rather than on the town. Today, some are struggling to find that balance between being a homebody and experiencing human connections.
As a result of all this, loneliness has become a silent epidemic. Wayside Chapel and We are Social are attempting to combat this intense feeling of being alone with a social media campaign. It may be ironic but it’s proven to be effective.
LBB’s Casey Martin spoke with We are Social’s creative director, Ben Clare on how social media can be used to change stigmas and build lasting support systems.
LBB> Why was this campaign important to you and the team?
Ben> Loneliness is one of the most pressing health threats of our time and yet we’re not talking about it. We hear a lot about smoking, we hear a lot about obesity, and skin cancer. But how much do we hear about loneliness? It’s linked to strokes, heart disease, dementia, inflammation and suicide; it breaks the heart literally as well as figuratively. And it costs the public enormous sums in unnecessary health costs.
But the steps to tackling loneliness aren’t necessarily complex, high-tech or expensive. In fact, one of the strategies is simply to get people back into old-fashioned habits like eating meals together, working from home less and befriending your neighbours. We embraced this challenge with optimism, realising that by simply giving people the agency to feel in control again, we could help drive meaningful change.
LBB> What was something you learnt during the creation of this campaign and how will this impact future work?
Ben> Building genuine support and traction from influencers and creators to actively participate in the campaign required a long lead time. In part because it was pro-bono, but also because it involved nurturing relationships, clearly communicating the campaign's purpose and values, and demonstrating the mutual benefit. If you’re recruiting talent for a campaign, you really have to foster a sense of ownership and commitment from whoever it is to ensure their genuine engagement and endorsement. And, it’s rarely a quick process.
LBB> Choosing to combat loneliness with a social media campaign is a very trojan horse-like approach. How did you make sure that the message of this campaign would be translated successfully?
Ben> One of the challenges of loneliness is the stigma that surrounds it. We’re embarrassed that we’re lonely and slow to seek help. Something like 90% of Australians find it hard to talk about it. And while it may seem counterintuitive to use a channel often criticised for diminishing face-to-face interactions, Instagram and especially TikTok are platforms for individuals to share unfiltered experiences in ways traditional channels cannot match. It gave us the confidence that the message would land through our influencers’ shared experiences and identities.
LBB> When working in the social sphere, what challenges came about when creating a campaign like this?
Ben> The world is not short of things vying for our attention; devices, apps, channels, feeds, posts, stories, messages. Anything you create in the social sphere has to reward the time spent with it, or risk being scrolled past, forgotten and, crucially, not talked about.
I think for an idea to become a part of culture itself — not just have cultural impact — a great deal of time is required to identify and mine for underlying currents of thought, sentiment, behaviour and trends.
But again, that’s only half the battle. It’s important to create content that's fit-for-platform; that considers the unique characteristics and expectations of each platform so that it feels native to viewers. Success also hinges on your ability to encourage dialogue and build a relationship with the audience and cultivate a sense of community around our brand.
LBB> What was the initial response, and how are you hoping to build on it?
Ben> We’ve been blown away by the widespread support—from everyday Australians to influencers, acclaimed actors, and notably, politicians. Within just 10 days, Wayside Chapel has amassed 6.5K TikTok followers. Our launch film has garnered over 17.5 million views and continues to grow. And best of all, our tips and tricks content aimed at helping people boost their Social60 has been saved over 1.8K times.
However, this is just the beginning for us. While many people, organisations and governments are beginning to understand the growing threat of loneliness, Australia doesn’t currently have an official national strategy to tackle the issue. We think Social60 could help fill that void. In the meantime, we aim to continue to improve our understanding of loneliness, challenge the stigma surrounding it and importantly, upskill Australians to better manage their loneliness. The UK and Japan have both recently introduced a ‘Loneliness Minister’, and we will campaign until Australia has adopted a similar strategy.
LBB> How much power does social media hold when it comes to opening conversations, and w responsibilities lie with brands to participate in them?
Ben> Because of its reach, immediacy, and accessibility, I think social media is hugely powerful when it comes to opening conversations. And it makes perfect sense for brands to (authentically) contribute to discussions online. After all, without engagement, social media is just media. You just need to be transparent about your motives and intentions when doing so.
Luckily, Wayside Chapel has been campaigning for a life without loneliness for some time now, so it’s aligned to their brand values. If you can deliver a social value exchange; make it inspirational, entertaining or educational, leverage a moment that matters or simply lean into cultural trends when relevant, the better you’ll build a reputation for being an authentic brand.
