Just $500 a month, has the ability to make a huge difference.
BCM Group and LIVIN are calling on marketers to donate 0.09% of digital advertising spend - in lieu of the 9 lives lost a day to suicide - to power a suicide prevention campaign.
The Inter[NET]vention is a digital campaign that combines insights from search data with AI-targeting algorithms to identify individuals searching online who are in a suicidal mindset.
Once found, the campaign re-targets them with crowd-sourced messages of support from people with lived experience, driving to a destination page built to engage them for as long as possible.
The pilot program, powered by partnerships with Yahoo, Newscorp, IAS, NZME and DoubleVerify has shown the efficacy of the initiative, with digital retargeting ad click through rates 117% above the industry benchmark for banner ads, and targeted individuals spending an average of 2 minutes on the destination page, 40% longer than the average website engagement.
Most importantly, 3.3% of website users interacted with help services.
LIVIN head psychologist Luke Foster said digital campaigns have the potential to be incredibly effective due to broad reach and immediacy.
"They provide a platform for sharing authentic stories and messages of hope, which really hits home for individuals in distress," Foster said.
"This approach encourages help-seeking behavior, offering an alternative to the devastating choice of ending one's life, which occurs every 2.5 to 3 hours in Australia.
“Cognitive constriction (a narrowed, all-or-nothing thinking pattern) can make individuals feel trapped with no way out. When in this state, people may struggle to see alternatives, and for some, suicide can seem like a viable option. However, it's crucial to recognise that this perception is a result of distorted thinking, not reality.
“This campaign uses distraction activities to break through that mental blockade, redirecting focus and offering fresh perspectives. The distraction wall is a standout feature, helping to interrupt negative thought patterns and open up new, more hopeful possibilities."
BCM head of strategy Dave Mooney said just $500 a month, has the ability to make a huge difference.
“Data shows this audience is most active from 12-4am when demand for ad space is low, allowing us to take over every ad this audience sees with a minimal investment," Mooney said.
"Taking into account results to date, it’s possible that with as little as $500 we could secure up to 120,000 exposures to crowd sourced messages, driving upwards of 300 at-risk people to the destination site."
Global dental education group Ripe Global is the first organisation to donate to the initiative.
Ripe Global CEO and founder Lincoln Harris said dentistry is plagued with mental health issues, burn out, and high suicide rates.
"So initiatives like these are incredibly important to us. It’s amazing for RIpeGlobal to be able to partner with LIVIN, BCM and media brands and utilise latest technology to help prevent suicide," Harris said.
Marketers and businesses interested in supporting the campaign can get in touch at internetvention@livin.org.
