Think HQ Raises Awareness Of Anxiety in Children

Parents in Victoria may be better placed to support their anxious children after a campaign created for Royal Children’s Hospital by purpose-driven agency Think HQ overachieved target by more than 500 per cent. 

The ‘Anxiety in Children’ campaign aimed to help parents to recognise the often hard to pinpoint indicators of anxiety in their children and understand when they should seek help. 

The campaign encouraging parents to recognise the signs of anxiety and to get help if they persisted.

It targeted parents of primary school aged children (six to 12 years) living in Victoria.

The campaign theme ‘Anxiety in children is common’ drew on the insight that anxiety is more common than many think, but the signs are often put down to something else. 

The creative showed children exhibiting what could be signs of anxiety in everyday scenarios, from a tummy ache to not wanting to play or go to school. While these signs could be a normal part of life, they could also indicate anxiety in children. 

The campaign encouraged parents to be on the lookout for signs of anxiety - and to get help if they persisted.

Think HQ extended the idea across video, digital and social, with creative translated into five languages in addition to English - Hindi, Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, and Punjabi - in order to reach large culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

The four-week campaign, which ran across October, achieved 2.7m display ad impressions - more than 540% above the target.

The media placement reached parents and children across the state. 

The media strategy reached CALD communities predominantly through social channels in language.

Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital’s Anna Metcalfe added, “Think HQ were thoughtful and thorough when conceptualising and bringing to life our campaign. We felt truly listened to and involved in the process, while guided by their expertise and clever ideas. Despite us coming up against barriers and delays throughout the process, the Think team remained professional, patient and ever communicative.’’

Think HQ founder & managing director Jen Sharpe said, “COVID rocked us all, including children. Mental health is a challenging topic and being able to work so well with the team at the Royal Children’s has made for such a good result. This has been a strong example of an inclusive campaign, as we’ve translated the work into five languages. After all, understanding how to provide healthy future for our children is something everyone deserves equally.”