Maybelline’s new campaign is a refreshing take on mental health

Cosmetics brand Maybelline New York has unveiled a powerful new campaign to mark today's World Mental Health Day. Empowering young people to take back control of their mental health, the striking film is a poignant reflection of social media's positive and negative effects on Gen Z, spotlighting a safe space to switch off from the online world.

When we think of the best adverts of all time, our minds often revert to loud visuals and grabby commentary, yet Maybelline's latest campaign shines in its reservedness. Made in close collaboration with its target audience, the film's candid approach is a refreshingly down-to-earth take on the (oftentimes) chaotic world of Gen Z social media.

Developed by creative agency Nice and Serious in collaboration with production house Spindle, the film shows the dual nature of social media represented by two contrasting sides of the same character. The campaign film 'Reconnect With You’ is part of Maybelline's Brave Together Initiative, normalising mental health struggles while spotlighting an accessible online safe space in the form of youth charity, Ditch the Label.

The campaign was developed with a curated team of 16-24-year-olds who shared their personal insight throughout the creative process. "Collaborating with the target audience, it became clear that we needed to create a judgement-free film. One that wouldn’t label heavy social media activity as bad per se, but plays out the familiar two-sided story. Part of this was including a nod to the value of self-connection, something many felt they lost in the thick of socials," says Nice and Serious' associate creative director, Lily Peters.

Shot on 33mm, the film has a distinctly rustic feel that aids in the visceral nature of the production. "We crafted distinct moods for each side of the frame through nuanced lighting choices using cooler, darker tones on the right and warmer hues on the left," says Molly Burdett, Film Director at Spindle. "We used contrasting soundscapes to capture the light and dark of these two worlds, using negative internal voices to emphasise the darker, harmful online experience, while a brighter, more joyful soundscape underscored the girl’s positive social interactions," she adds.

'Reconnect With You’ is an honest and unpretentious demystification of mental health matters. It's refreshing to see a brand like Maybelline spearheading such a powerful campaign with a balanced and candid approach to mental health – advocating for awareness and meaningful change in equal measure.

If you're after more design inspiration from Nice and Serious, check out the creative agency's Nice Works project 'The Period Conversation' – an interactive website that gets the conversation flowing around menstruation taboos. For a masterclass in modern LGBTQIA+ branding take a look at Switchboard’s rebrand that has heritage at its heart.