Mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) has launched its largest ever suicide prevention initiative in a bid to reshape the UK’s understanding of suicide.
Earlier this week, 50 6.5-foot high, unbranded ‘smiling portraits’ were placed in London’s South Bank area, grabbing the attention of passers-by with their depiction of what seemed to be people living ‘happy, care-free lives’.
It has been revealed today on ITV’s This Morning that each smiling image is in fact the last photograph of someone who took their own life soon after.
The OOH campaign aims to highlight the harrowing fact that “suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal” and that there is often a stigma attached to suicide, with people assuming that it looks like “reclusiveness, crying and silence” beforehand.
“Yet in reality, suicidal behaviour takes many forms. Often people can seem happy just moments before taking their own lives,” CALM said.
Visitors of the exhibition will be encouraged to learn how they can help save lives, with onsite volunteers guiding the public to QR codes that lead to practical toolkits on CALM’s website.
The installation, created by agency adam&eveDDB – who launched the charity’s powerful Project 84 about male suicide in 2018 – will also be supported by a 90-second TVC that will debut on ITV’s This Morning.
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Directed by Max Fisher, the film shows a series of real home videos of ‘apparently happy’ people enjoying life – messing about with mates, singing to infant children and enjoying a day out at the seaside.
Towards the end of the spot it is revealed that all the videos are the last digital memories of people who later died by suicide.
“Behind every smile is a tragic story of loss and despair that touches family, friends and communities,” CALM CEO Simon Gunning said.
“We like to thank all the families that contributed to the campaign for their strength and courage in stepping forward and sharing these powerful stories. There has long been a stereotype and stigma surrounding suicide that has held people back from opening up and talking about their feelings, and seeking help when it’s needed.”
“At a time of economic and social unrest it’s even more important that we put suicide prevention back on the national agenda and come together to take collective action. The Last Photo does exactly that, delivering a massively important message in a hugely creative and engaging way.”
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A total of 125 lives are lost to suicide every week. CALM exists to help change this by running supportive services and provoking conversations surrounding mental health.
CALM chief marketing officer Matt Jennings added: “It’s a simple idea, that can be shared in different ways across multiple channels, but ultimately we needed to make sure we converted all of the attention into action.
“It can often be hard to know how someone is feeling, but through this campaign we want to break down the stigma that surrounds suicide, and equip the nation to talk about it. Whether that’s around the dinner table, in the pub, the locker room or in parliament, if we can make the conversation inescapable, we can all help to save a life.”
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