MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Creating a campaign to address the stigma on mental health is a topic worth discussing for Ja Bautista and Arri Veloso of Publicis JimenezBasic. Their “Annual Mental Exam” campaign is a twist to annual physical exams—earning them the chance to represent the Philippines in the Young Lotus Workshop 2019 in Pattaya, Thailand.
Before heading to Thailand, adobo magazine sits down with Ja Bautista and Arri Veloso on why a creative’s mental health can impact the creative industry and what can they expect from the Young Lotus Workshop.
On the brief for the 4As Young Kidlat Competition
Arri: Mental health is a sensitive issue. We didn’t want the material to be funny. We want people to take the campaign seriously. So for us, what we liked about the brief is that it’s so specific. The brief was, “How do you equate mental sickness or illness like depression to diabetes” that it’s the same. It’s the same illness. We want to look for solutions to address the brief.
Ja: One of the examples of the initial briefing was it’s treatable. It’s not something that makes you indifferent. We have to recognize that it exists and that it’s treatable like diabetes or hypertension or any physical illness. It’s just that we need to remove the stigma that it’s not treatable, it’s something that would bother you for the rest of your life.
On conceptualizing the “Annual Mental Exam” campaign
Ja: The brief in itself presents that we needed a solution.
Arri: Even sa office or sa Twitter, you see people talaga sharing their stories. Kahit papaano, we get to learn more about the mental health issue.
(Even in the office or Twitter, you see people sharing their stories. From there, we get to learn more about the mental health issue.)
Ja: Actually, hindi mo na kailangang lumayo eh. It’s a stressful industry of course. As we know, it triggers a lot of emotions, it triggers a lot of feelings na it’s not the type of job na iiwanan mo yung trabaho sa office. Sometimes, you take it personally. I think noong pina-process namin yung idea namin, isa iyon sa mga pinag-hugutan namin ng insight.
(Actually, you don’t need to go far with the topic. It’s a stressful industry of course. As we know, it triggers a lot of emotions, it triggers a lot of feelings that it’s not the type of job where you can just leave your tasks in the office. Sometimes, you take it personally. I think when we were processing our idea, it’s one of the factors we considered in the insight.)
On the process of creating the “Annual Mental Exam” campaign
Ja: We were conceptualizing it as, “Let’s come up with a concept that presents itself as a solution, not just a winning piece”. Ang goal talaga is solution-based, saka na yung iintindihin natin kung mananalo siya or hindi. Would it merit the judges’ impressions or not? We really wanted a solution na madaling ma-implement and such.
(We were conceptualizing it as, “Let’s come up with a concept that presents itself as a solution, not just a winning piece”. The true goal is solution-based, and then we’ll decide if it’s worthy enough to win or not. Would it merit the judges’ impressions or not? We really wanted a solution that’s easy to implement and such.)
Arri: We always go back to the brief, we strength-tested it. Okay, does it answer the brief? Hindi.
(We always go back to the brief, we strength-tested it. Okay, does it answer the brief? No.)
Ja: We had to decide (on ideas for the campaign), we had to call the shots na. Let’s park these ideas and go with “Annual Mental Exam”. Kasi to be very honest, it was one of those first thoughts that we had and then we started questioning it na. Nako, baka naisip na siya ng ibang team or baka hindi siya strong enough. And then by 7 pm, binalikan namin siya and we found it relevant na sige, ito na iyon. We should go with this.
(We had to decide (on ideas for the campaign), we had to call the shots. Let’s park these ideas and go with “Annual Mental Exam”. Because to be very honest, it was one of those first thoughts that we had and then we started questioning it. Oh no, what if the other team thought of this campaign or what if the campaign is not strong enough. And then by 7 pm, we returned to the campaign and we found it relevant. This is it. We should go with this.)
Arri: We ended up with “Annual Mental Exam” because it’s simple. We thought na if it’s gonna win, it’s should be simple. It should be understandable. Madaling i-explain in one sentence. Kung merong annual physical exam, there should be an annual mental exam.
(We ended up with “Annual Mental Exam” because it’s simple. We thought that if it’s gonna win, it’s should be simple. It should be understandable. Easy to explain in one sentence. If there’s such thing as an annual physical exam, there should be an annual mental exam.)
On joining the 4As Young Kidlat Competition
Ja: Have a clear idea and present your ideas well. Parang sa amin, being able to represent Publicis Jimenezbasic and of course right now, the Philippines. It’s a winning experience. Parang if ever we lose, okay. Try again, I guess? Wala namang masama. Parang the experience itself is a winning experience naman.
(Have a clear idea and present your ideas well. For us, being able to represent Publicis JimenezBasic and of course right now, the Philippines. It’s a winning experience. If ever we lose, okay. Try again, I guess? There’s nothing wrong. The experience itself is a winning experience.)
On representing the Philippines in the Young Lotus Workshop 2019
Arri: Shookt. Hanggang ngayon, shookt. We didn’t expect, hindi namin talaga inexpect na manalo. Noong sumali kami doon, we just wanted to make our company and our Executive Creative Director (ECD) proud na parang when she asked us,”What’syour idea”, we can explain it in one sentence.
(Shocked. Until now, shocked. We didn’t expect to win at all. When we joined the competition, we just wanted to make our company and our ECD proud that when she asked us, “What’s your idea”, we can explain it in one sentence.)
Ja: We came there na, “Sige, let’s enjoy this experience. Let’s come up with a work that we’re happy and we’re proud and we’re confident to present.” Ang sabi namin na kahit siya matalo, confident kami dito kasi alam namin na it’s a solution. Winning it was a plus kasi the experience in itself, it’s a winning experience kasi not everyone can’t be sent to Pattaya or Young Kidlat.
(We came there saying, “Okay, let’s enjoy this experience. Let’s come up with a work that we’re happy and we’re proud and we’re confident to present.” We said that even if it doesn’t win, we’re confident with it because we know that it’s a solution. Winning was a plus because the experience in itself, it’s a winning experience because not everyone can’t be sent to Pattaya or Young Kidlat.)
Arri: Diba, who would’ve thought? Ire-represent pala namin yung Philippines eh. Parang we didn’t expect it talaga.
(Right, who would’ve thought? We’ll represent the Philippines. We didn’t expect it at all.)
On aspiring young creatives who are starting out in the industry
Ja: Matakot kayo sa boss niyo. Parang iyon ang kind of mindset na you would always come back when you ideate na. Is it something that your ECD and your Creative Director (CD) will be proud of, siyempre because you’re being mentored inside the company din eh. Parang day-to-day, you would be sharpened by this ECDs and CDs na ite-test talaga nila yung hangganan ng idea mo and they would make you a better creative at the end of the day. I think that’s not something bad, parang matakot kayo in a way that you’d respect your ECDs and CDs, diba? You would always come up with work that you are proud with, and you are happy with.
(Be scared of your boss. That’s the kind of mindset that you would always come back to when you ideate. Is it something that your ECD and your CD will be proud of, of course because you’re being mentored inside the company. In every day-to-day routine, you would be sharpened by this ECDs and CDs who will test the lengths of your idea and they would make you a better creative at the end of the day. I think that’s not something bad, be scared in a way that you’d respect your ECDs and CDs, right? You would always come up with work that you are proud with, and you are happy with.)
Arri: Ako naman, what I learned before is be clear first then be clever, and that’s what we did naman din during the competition. It’s my third time joining the Young Lotus competition in the Philippines. (Come to think of it), hindi naman ako nananalo noong bata ako kasi parang mas pa-cool pa. Mas kabado, iisipin ko pa kung ano yung ginagawa ng kabilang team but kami ni Ja (now), we just focused on our idea. We didn’t think about the other teams. Let’s just make an idea that we’re proud of.
(For me, what I learned before is to be clear first then be clever, and that’s what we also did during the competition. It’s my third time joining the Young Lotus competition in the Philippines (Come to think of it), I’m not going to win when I was young because I was trying to be cool. I’m more nervous, I always think of what other teams do. But with Ja and I (now), we just focused on our idea. We didn’t think about the other teams. Let’s just make an idea that we’re proud of.)
To check out Ja and Arri’s winning entry in the 4As Young Kidlat competition, you can find the “Annual Mental Exam” here.
Hero image credits: Roi Marcelino of PJB
