BCSC322

InterviewingTechniques:Streeter
BrianGorman
KeltynMarshall
22January2015

BellsLetsTalkCampaignSparksConversationsaboutMentalHealth

BellCanadahaslauncheditsannualLetsTalkcampaign,acharitableprogram
dedicatedtomentalhealthawareness.Withover$67.5millionraisedtosupportvarious
mentalhealthorganizations,Bellslatestcommercialshighlightthestigmaattachedto
mentalillness.

Reporter,KeltynMarshallwentdowntowntoaskEdmontoniansifBellslatestadverts
haveaffectedtheirviewofmentalillness.

No,theydidntreallyimpacthowIviewedmentalillness,saysMelissaBanks,51.I
rememberwatchingitandthinkingmoreaboutthescriptandthebehavioursofthe
actors.Therepetitivelinesjustdidn'tdoanythingforme.Therearebettervideosout
therethatgiveusabetterunderstandingofmentalillnessandthatchallengeustoreach
outandshowsupport,ratherthantostandinjudgment.

Thosecommercialsarememorable,saysMichelleMcDonald,48.UntilIsawthe
onewiththeofficeworkers,talkingaboutsickdays,Ihadneverconsideredthewords
depressedandsickdayasgoinghandinhand.Atmyofficewehavemanyabsentfor
personalillnessandnobodyusesthetermdepressed;theyinsteadusesomethinglike
stressed.Itspossiblethatnobodyknowsthedifferencebetweendepressedand
stressed,ortheyjustdontwanttoadmitit.

IhaventseenthecommercialsbutIhaveseenthebillboardsaroundthecity,says
AmandaDepew,21.Idontreallyseetheseadvertsasthateffective.Thereare
probablymoreanddifferentwaysthattheycouldhavedoneitthatwouldhavemoreof
animpact.Butthenagainitsgoodseethiskindofstuffaroundthemedia.

NormallyIdon'tthinkaboutmentalillness,anditmademethinkaboutit,saysDrew
Settingiano,29.Ifsomeonehadcomeuptomeandsaidtheyweredepressed,or
unwell,Iwouldnormallyhaveavoidedorstoppedtheconversation.Now,maybeIll
paymoreattentiontoit.
Ialwayssawanxietyasanexcuseforpeoplewhohadneverlearnedhowtodealwith
stress,butthosecommercialskindofopenedupmyeyestothestigmathatIpersonally
attachedtomentalillness,saysPatrickJames,60.