Light in the Darkness

The Degree of Difficulty  

Commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate of Health, we were to contribute to preventing suicide and suicide attempts. 

Suicide prevention is one of the most demanding areas we work with, and this time we faced a very special task: 

The campaign was to address the population in the north. With that as a starting point, we couldn't just copy content from previous campaigns. We had to speak directly to the people in Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark. Also, to the Sami population. 

In the north, taboos around suicide are strong; there is little openness and a high degree of macho culture. In addition, the northern regions are characterized by negative attitudes towards authorities – the last thing anyone wants to hear is admonitions from experts and authorities speaking condescendingly. All these peculiarities are particularly prominent in the Sami population. 

From Darkness to Light  

A pitfall when discussing what many consider a heavy and serious topic is that the communication and visual elements become dark and gloomy. We wanted to move away from that. Instead, we wanted to convey hope and warmth. 

In close collaboration with Aller Media, we decided to focus heavily on content marketing. Using storytelling and real people in the communication became a natural choice. Stories of hope and utility had to come from people living in the north, Northern Norwegian men, and Northern Norwegian professionals. 

To ensure a professional foundation and to avoid making mistakes, we established contact with the Regional Resource Center on Violence, Traumatic Stress and Suicide Prevention (RVTS Nord) at an early stage. They know the field particularly well and knew which barriers and drivers we needed to address and avoid. 

Goals and Target Groups  

The most important thing this campaign could do was save lives. From a communication professional's standpoint, the objective was to highlight the importance of seeing, asking, and listening. Suicidal thoughts do not become stronger or worse by talking about them. On the contrary. Carrying such feelings alone over time, and not sharing them with anyone, can make the feeling of hopelessness grow. 

The main message for the campaign: Talk about suicidal thoughts. It can save lives. Secondary: It is important to show that you care. 

The content was to be specifically adapted to Northern Norwegian language and culture, and to safeguard and strengthen the Sami perspective. 

We also had to reach men (7 out of 10 suicides are committed by men). 

And most importantly, offer keys to life mastery and bring hope. 

The Guys from the North  

The idea was to meet the guys from the north – and those closest to them – on their home turf, in the Northern Norwegian landscape. In the campaign, you get up close with three different men, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, all with their unique stories and shedding light on the theme from different perspectives. 

In addition to strong personal stories, we wanted to highlight the perspectives of the female Sami municipal doctor in Kautokeino. General practitioners play a very special role in the fight against suicide. 

Features and Mini-documentaries  

Together with Aller, we produced three specially designed feature articles. The articles were distributed nationally and segmented to Northern Norway, and reinforced with display formats and social media publications. 

We also developed a completely new commercial video format: The mini-documentary. A three-minute story in moving images that communicates the central messages in a condensed way. 

To give readers the opportunity to react and engage with the content, we placed a pulsating heart on the display formats, which was intended to create and reinforce a sense of community among readers. 

Last but not least: For the very first time in Dagbladet's history, Aller published articles in Sami. All three articles are available in Norwegian Bokmål, North Sami, Lule Sami, and South Sami, which has generated enormous attention and enthusiasm both within and outside the target group. 

Local Presence  

To ensure a broader reach for the campaign, Aller's content was adapted to and distributed with programmatic display and native, online video (YouTube and Web-TV), social media (Snapchat and Meta), and the Sami newspaper, Ságat (print). 

In this way, we aimed to be visible outside Aller's universe as well, with a special focus on local newspapers in the North. 

The Campaign Has Generated Engagement  

The fact that we managed to evoke emotions, engagement, and understanding is clearly evident from hundreds of Facebook comments. In the comment sections, digital communities emerged, where some chose to share that they themselves were struggling. They received much support, love, and advice from others, and we directly contacted some to show them where they could go for help. 

We were contacted by several editorial media outlets that wanted to cover the campaign. Among others, Altaposten created a large feature with our Sami case person and the Norwegian Directorate of Health's department director, Jakob Linhave. 

The Campaign Has Saved Someone's Life  

The most important thing about this campaign is not clicks, exposures, and reading time. The most important thing is that it makes us stop, see, ask, and listen. That those who are struggling the most feel a little less alone. 

One of the brave men who came forward with his powerful story received a text message in the middle of the campaign: An acquaintance informed him that he had planned to take his own life. The date was set. The article made him decide to live on.