Uni-ball, one of the UK’s leading brands of writing instruments, is tackling the student stress crisis by launching ‘Creative Escapes’, its new brand campaign. From April, the www.GoCreativeEscape.co.uk microsite will go live, providing students the tools to use ‘creativity as therapy’ to help improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Created and executed by Orbital Media, the campaign aims to increase creativity through simple drawing or writing tutorials, and, ultimately, lower stress levels. Focusing on simplistic creativity in the present moment can provide immediate distraction from negative emotion, and instead enhance balance and flow – similar to that of a meditative state. Working with some of the UK’s finest creative writers and artists, including Ella Johnston, Louise Allen and Scott Walker, Orbital Media has designed and produced an extensive number of video tutorials and easy to follow, quick creative exercises for all capabilities.
Creative Escapes is initially a six-month focused campaign that will be promoted via the brand’s extensive social media channels, incorporating multi-platform advertising, Facebook Live, Facebook and Instagram stories, as well as gamification, competitions, and targeted influencer centric collaborations.
The campaign has been warmly received by some of the UK’s leading major multiple retailers where extensive POS will be displayed.
Hayden Allen-Vercoe, COO at Orbital Media, says: “The student mental health crisis is bigger than we may imagine. One study suggests that 49% of students feel stressed out on a daily basis. There are various factors that contribute to this problem – as well as academic pressures, this is a generation that tends to spend more time plugged into technology, and less time experiencing the real world. The Creative Escapes campaign provides a perfect mix of online content to deliver engagement and consumer awareness, as well as the inspiration and resources to promote offline creativity and emotional balance. There is also scope to extend the campaign in further years, by deploying a bespoke app, driving adoption within schools and colleges, and attracting more creative talent, who are keen to support this socially responsible initiative.’
Paul Smith, Director of Sales and Marketing at Mitsubishi Pencil.Co.UK Ltd, says: “It’s been proven that we can use the benefits of writing and drawing to express our creative sides to reduce stress and get in touch with our feelings. Creativity is a form of mindfulness that offers a welcome escape from too much screen time. It is also the ideal antidote to relieve the pressures associated with the exams season. Communicating this important message with our target demographic of students is the perfect way to encourage them to enhance their emotional wellbeing, educate about Uni-ball’s vast product range and benefits, and ultimately, deliver increased sales.”
