Conversations Change Lives in Non-Profit Organisation R U OK? Campaign

Australian non-profit suicide prevention organisation, R U OK?, has teamed up with Hogarth Australia, to highlight that there are ‘more right places than wrong to start these conversations.’ 

Hogarth was tasked with delivering the theme, creative concept, and production for the 2023 R U OK?Day campaign.

The 2023 theme, was delivered as ‘R U OK? I’m here to hear’.

A crucial insight drove this development, namely the impact a genuine conversation can have on someone who is struggling with life.

The research[1] found more than four in five people who engaged in a meaningful conversation felt better about managing their situation having talked it through and felt supported, heard, and safe during the conversation.

It also found making time and space for what comes after asking ‘are you OK?’ is key. Ensuring you are in suitable environment, free from distraction and are prepared to really hear the person. There are more right places than wrong to start these conversations, it’s having a level of trust and a genuine connection that makes an R U OK? conversation effective. By demystifying the process, we are driving towards ensuring more Australians feel confident to start meaningful conversations with the people in their world.

The creative concept’s highlights what makes an R U OK? conversation genuine and meaningful for the person being asked.

“Collaborating with the R U OK? Team has been a career highlight. It’s not often you get to work with an organisation that has such a big responsibility to deliver a potentially life-changing message to the broadest cross-section of society imaginable. The whole Hogarth team was energised by this project, and many feature in some way or another in the creative. We’ve all be touched by the experience.” Barney Howells, creative director, Hogarth Australia.

“We are grateful to the Hogarth team who from the outset identified the core message we needed to convey and worked with us to bring it to life in a way that we hope will inspire and empower more Australians to meaningfully connect with those in their world and lend support when they are struggling with life,” said R U OK? CEO Katherine Newton.

The R U OK?Day 2023 message will feature across traditional and social media platforms, in cinema, through OOH and audio extensions. A wealth of resources for educators, communities and workplaces are available FREE to download from the R U OK? website.