The way we talk about suicide as a society isn’t working. At CALM, we know we need to change the conversation. That’s why we do things differently.
Our campaigns are here to challenge the stereotypes and stigma that prevents people talking about suicide, show people that change is possible, and give them the tools to join us in our mission. Find out how we're changing society...
Conversation-changing campaigns
From a huge pair of ears on the side of a building, to thousands of balloons to remember the young people we’ve lost to suicide, find out how our life-saving campaigns have changed the conversation on suicide prevention over the years
Missed Birthdays
A display of 6,929 balloons to help show the vital role we can all play in helping end youth suicide
In September 2024, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, we launched our Missed Birthdays Installation live on This Morning. At the heart of the campaign was an installation of 6,929 balloons in Westfield Shopping Centre. Each balloon represented a young person who took their own life, and a birthday they didn’t get to celebrate. As part of the campaign, we also launched a film featuring Evelyn’s story - one of those young lives lost.
And we called on people to use the CALM C.A.R.E. Kit, a resource created to help people to have the conversations today that will help more young people see tomorrow.
The Last Photo
Showing that suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal.
In 2022, we launched The Last Photo, a campaign and installation on Southbank showing the last photos and videos of people before they took their own lives. We wanted to challenge the misconception that suicide always looks a certain way. And the stories of the people who lost their lives and photos highlighted a clear message: suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal.
It was a hard-hitting campaign that started a vital national conversation and empowered the UK to help prevent suicide. Because we know that, by starting these conversations, we can all help stop suicide.
The Invisible Opponent
Showing that, sometimes, the toughest opponents are the ones you can’t see
We know that sometimes the toughest opponents are the ones you can’t see. That’s why, in 2021, we launched our first ever TV ad - a heavyweight campaign, starring Tyson Fury vs The Invisible Opponent - to show that whatever you’re struggling with, CALM is here. We challenged the misconception that talking about mental health is a sign of weakness and normalised being open about what we’re going through. And we showed that, with CALM in your corner, you don’t have to fight it alone.
We followed that by teaming up with CALM Ambassador and England midfielder Declan Rice to show that you don’t have to be alone to feel alone. 3 million people in the UK say they feel lonely. That’s enough people to fill Wembley 33 times over. We showed that, whatever you’re going through, we can tackle it together.
Unseen Signals
Tackling the stigma that prevents young women from being seen when they're struggling.
Every two days, one young woman in the UK dies by suicide. That’s why, ahead of the Women’s World Cup in 2023, we teamed up with Lioness and CALM Ambassador Fran Kirby to show that your support can save a life. Our campaign video showed that no signal for help should go unseen - on or off the pitch.
Stay
Showing anyone struggling that there is always hope, always a reason for living.
We launched the Stay campaign on World Suicide Prevention Day in 2021 to tell anyone and everyone who can’t see a way out: “Things can change”. To say to them “Just stay”. Every week in the UK 125 people take their own lives; 125 individuals who couldn’t see a way out.
But at CALM, we believe there is always hope, always a reason for living. That’s why our Stay message is so vital. And it’s why we put that word - Stay - on billboards up and down the country, and why we told stories of people who had decided to give tomorrow a chance. To show you that things can change, no matter how you feel right now. That there’s always a way forward.
Hidden Message with Joe Marler
Sometimes it can be hard to find the words to tell someone you’re struggling
In 2020, England rugby star Joe Marler teamed up with us to make a powerful film with an important (but hard to see) message. We wanted to smash the stigma surrounding men’s mental wellbeing, so we created a film with a hidden message that launched on International Men’s Day. It appeared to be a post-match interview with Joe, but if you hovered over the subtitles you saw there was a message hidden between the lines. Because we know that sometimes it can be hard to find the words to tell someone you’re struggling.
SEAT - Grow A Pair, Language of Listening
Sticking a giant pair of ears on a building to get people listening
In 2019, our successful Grow A Pair campaign with SEAT saw us install a giant pair of ears on the side of a building in London to encourage men to listen to the people they care about most. And our series The Language of Listening films helped remove that awkward stage of seeing if your mate is doing OK by giving you ways to have a chat, really show that you’re listening and help make them feel a little better.
Project 84
The campaign that started a nationwide conversation about suicide prevention - and led to the world’s first ever Minister for Suicide Prevention
In 2018, Project 84 forced the world to stop, think and, most importantly, act. 84 life-size statues of men on top of the ITV buildings in London highlighted the fact that 84 men die by suicide each week in the UK.
We got millions talking about suicide in homes, workplaces and even Parliament. 400,000 people signed our petition for government action on suicide, and it resulted in the government appointing the world’s first ever Minister for Suicide Prevention.
L'eau de Chris
Showing why it’s ‘ludicrous’ that men feel they have to bottle up their feelings
In 2017, L’Eau de Chris – a premium bottled mineral water infused with traces of Chris Hughes’ very own tears shocked the world via social media. In actual fact, it was a guise for #DontBottleItUp – a campaign that brought together Chris Hughes, CALM and Topman to encourage men to be more open about their emotions. The campaign achieved over 120 million social impressions and national media coverage.
