Veterans Awareness PSA Helps Friends and Family Identify the 'Shift'

Certain behavioural changes can be a sign of mental health problems when veterans return to life after service. 'Shift', a new PSA by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, aims to help family and loved ones identify these changes early on, and provide a support system for veterans to get treatment and recover.

The PSA features the faces of real veterans – each of which is covered in words that express the real changes friends and family see in their loved ones who have served. The positive words are slowly replaced with negative words, overwhelming the picture with an increased cadence and pace. Healing words begin to emerge with a climactic call-to-action that invites family and friends of veterans to watch hundreds of inspiring veteran stories and support them on the website.

Agency Reingold commissioned the PSA to visually illustrate the progression of a veteran’s struggles, as their pre-service personality and character of strength and joy devolve into PTSD, anxiety and depression.

'Shift' was originally intended as a live-action spot, but Covid-19 restrictions forced the agency to pivot the creative by incorporating CG and motion graphics into the production. Here, creative director Karen O Lau and production company Fackrell Brothers worked closely with LA-based CG specialists Midnight Sherpa to reinforce the story of each veteran with authenticity and humanity by moulding typographic design and subtle animation onto their faces.