DEEP BRIEF
BERNICE PULENG MOSALA CBC2 COPYWRITING 14008742
CHALLENGE
Create a powerful social awareness campaign for a South African brand that can add value to society.
*DEFINE SOCIAL AWARENESS: Social awareness is defined as being aware of the problems that different societies and communities face on a day-to-day basis and to be conscious of the difficulties and hardships of society.
SOCIAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS.
OBJECTIVES • Create a compelling, innovative campaign, • Build maximum awareness around social event, issue, cause, brand, • Add value to society, • Active social engagement, • Get word out, • Get world to respond.
Context & Research
1. Global warming. 2. Racial Discrimination. 3. Gender inequality. 4. Transgender acceptance 5. Anorexia
Identifying a social awareness issue.
Understanding Anorexia.
Anorexia - Symptoms: Physical symptoms of anorexia can include brittle hair and nails, yellowing skin, fine hair growth all over the body, cold sensitivity, constipation, slow reactions or lethargy, loss of menstrual periods Long-term problems can include anemia, thinning bones, damage to the heart, organ failure, and death. Diagnosing Anorexia: Because anorexia can be life-threatening, it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible. Generally, a diagnosis of anorexia can be made if a person is less than eighty-five percent of what is considered a normal weight, if she shows an intense fear of gaining weight, and has a very distorted body image. A doctor may run tests to rule out other diseases before confirming a diagnosis of anorexia. Suicide Warning Signs: People with anorexia may also be struggling with depression, anxiety, or substance abuse -- and may think about suicide. Warning signs include talking about death or suicide, withdrawing from friends or loved ones, or engaging in risky behavior. Treating Anorexia - Hospitalization: A stay in the hospital may be needed for people with serious health complications, dangerously low weight, or thoughts of harming themselves.
Hospital stays are usually short. Outpatient programs are common, with people going to daytime appointments and staying at home at night. This approach is generally less disruptive to a person’s daily life. Treating Anorexia - Therapy: Anorexia treatment has three goals: restore a healthy weight, treat any psychological issues, and reduce unhealthy thoughts and actions that might lead to a relapse. Family therapy that includes parents is helpful for children and teens with anorexia. Treating anorexia in adults is trickier; therapy may be combined with additional treatments. With every approach, food and nutrition counseling is key. Treating Anorexia: Medication: Antidepressants and other medications are often prescribed to treat underlying mood problems in people with anorexia. The results have been mixed: Some people get better on medication, while others may still relapse. Research has found that medications and therapy work best together.
What Is Anorexia? People with anorexia nervosa develop an unusual fear of gaining weight, which can drive them to become dangerously thin. It's more common in women and girls, but it affects boys and men, too. It can start after a life change, traumatic event, or a develop as a need for control. Anorexia is a serious health problem, but with support and the right treatments people can and do get better Anorexia Symptom - Rapid Weight Loss: People with anorexia go to great lengths to lose weight. Besides eating too little food, they may compulsively exercise, or take diet pills. Taking pills to urinate (diuretics) or have a bowel movement (laxatives) are other unhealthy strategies to keep weight down. People may continue to lose, despite symptoms of starvation -- and hide a rail-thin body in baggy clothes.
Anorexia Symptom - Food Obsession: Food becomes an obsession in anorexia. People may eat very little, but think about food constantly. They may portion their food carefully, eat very small amounts of restricted foods, count calories, or weigh food before eating it. People with this illness may simply move food around the plate without actually eating anything. Anorexia Symptom - False Body Image: Though people with anorexia may be dangerously thin, they still see themselves as fat. They are often extremely critical of themselves. Anorexia may in part develop out of perfectionism. But the drive to achieve a "perfect" body spirals out of control until it becomes unhealthy and even life-threatening.
Media studies
Ellen: I just don’t see the point. Dr. William Beckham: In what? [Ellen shrugs] Dr. William Beckham: There is no point. Or, at least, big picture, we don’t get to know what it is. Why we live... , why Megan lost the baby... , why that girl killed herself... Ellen: You’re not reassuring me doctor. Dr. William Beckham: I can’t reassure you. This idea you have, that there’s a way to be safe, it’s childish and cowardly. It stops you from experiencing anything, including anything good. Ellen: You don’t think I feel bad enough already? I know I’m messed up, but you’re supposed to teach me how not to be. Dr. William Beckham: You know how. Stop waiting for life to be easy. Stop hoping for somebody to save you. You don’t need another person lying to you. Things don’t all add up, but you are resilient. Face some hard facts and you could have an incredible life. Ellen: That’s your pearl of wisdom? Grow a pair? Dr. William Beckham: That’s a more concise way of putting it. Yeah. Ellen: Unbelievable. Fuck you!
Segment from a review: I had never heard the term 'thinspiration' before I read the book. And discovering 'thinspiration' and the 'Pro Ana' community is just...particularly as the father of a daughter was the most terrifying thing about reading the book. I mean really broke my heart, it was very hard for me to read.
Insightful quotations: Starts when someone feels out of control so they always control their food so that they can feel in control of something. Anorexia is separate from the person. Anorexics develop obsessive rituals to keep them safe. Disorder kills joy. Anxiety around food. Suffer a lose of self. See yourself as being unworthy. They are looking for individuality and self-esteem. Obsessive, counting, scared. Doesn’t have identity in anything else. Skinny but can’t wear a bikini. Many misunderstand disorder because it seems like it is about food but it is much deeper than food, an obsession with food is just how the disease manifests. It’s both physical and mental. Food becomes a game. There is pro-eating disorder material. The body will feed on itself until it can’t sustain life. The body will begin to shut down system by system. Anorexia = malnutrition, osteoporosis, irregular heart rhythm and heart failure. Affects social life Obsessed with food. Family worried and scared If it’s a mental disorder, let’s encourage her. A big event such as divorce or rape causes anorexia. 1 in 10 anorexics will die of malnutrition, Symptoms of anorexia are bruises, broken bones, teeth rotting, hair brittle or falling out, pain in the chest and back, vision impairments, depression and feeling overwhelmed. “I don’t feel like I deserve to eat.”
Personal Experience
I didn’t know that it had a name, I just didn’t eat. I offered my lunch to my friends, did numerous hours of exercise and skipped meals. I was unaware that I was anorexic until my mother sat me down one holiday and told me that I needed to eat every meal that she prepared for me. She was stern in her approach. I was only 10 so I complied. I started to eat again but the anorexic impulses didn’t end their. I went through numerous spirts of neglecting food. Once, I went three days without eating anything substantial. I thought that it was something to brag about. I was proud. Depression quickly took over my emotions. My life began to fall apart. My anorexia got worse. When I felt control, it got better, when I felt out of control it got worse. Eventually, due to prosperous circumstances, I acknowledged that I hadn’t been anorexic for two years but the, out of the blue, I started to obsess again. I skipped meals, I felt good, I loved seeing my bones protrude. The point is, I am an intelligent adult but I still fall victim to the lie that I am only worthy when I feel thin. It’s all based on feeble emotions. 11 years later, I still get anorexic impulses. It never really goes away…
Identifying South African brands that would benefit from a social awareness campaign based on anorexia.
A fully licenced Acute Treatment Facility, Montrose Manor is situated in one of Cape Town’s prime suburbs, Bishopscourt, and specialises exclusively in both the primary and the extended treatment of severe and enduring eating disorders. It has earned a reputation for helping both local and international clientele achieve full and lasting recovery from a wide range of eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder. The multi-disciplinary team includes an occupational therapist, expert counselors, a therapeutic dietician, a consulting psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, psychiatric nurses, a biokineticist, an art & drama therapist and a moving art therapist.
Eating Disorders South Africa (EDSA) hosts weekly support groups for individuals over the age of 18 who are struggling with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. These free meetings take place every Wednesday from 17:30 to 19:00 at Denmar Psychiatric Hospital. Email info@edsa.co.za for more information. EDSA also provides other resources, such as a blog and interactive discussion forum.
An eating disorder can affect both adults and children and is known to be a serious condition that should be treated well before it causes any grave complications. From bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa to binge eating and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS), a large population of people suffer from various eating disorders that can be detrimental to both their health and mental state of being. Twin Rivers recognises these conditions and seeks to help those who battle with their eating habits. Through medical and psychological assessments which seek to identify the severity of the condition, we can determine whether an individual is eligible for our treatment programme or not.
Imani offers a full continuum of care necessary to complete the recovery process. While the behaviours differ, the underlying feelings of desperation, powerlessness and suffering are universal. At Imani we firstly deal with the clients destructive behaviours surrounding their illness and then guide them in processing the reasons for this behaviour. We work through a therapeutic community where individuals are part of a group with similar struggles. Through mutual support and shared experience, a healing atmosphere permeates the facility even outside structured therapy sessions.
Anorexia awareness often focuses on rehabilitation but is there a way to prevent anorexia from the early stages of the illnesses development? What brands could prevent anorexic behaviour from developing?
1. Vegan brands can promote a healthy lifestyle that isn’t restrictive,
2. Sports brands could encourage fitness instead of focusing on skinniness,
3. Social media could be more strict concerning damaging content.
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Social media plays a huge role in the development of numerous individuals selfesteem. Can we leverage the power of social media to create anorexia awareness?
South Africa Is the South African division of Tumblr Inc which is a microblogging and social networking website which allows users to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog. Users can follow other users’ blogs and search for content. Tumblr has a large archive of “anorexia” posts, thus making it an ideal brand to create social awareness about the dangers of anorexia and providing aid in the early development of the illness.
*Young females between the ages of 16 and 24 are most exposed to images of anorexia on Tumblr.
Insights
1. Anorexia stems from lack of control within life. 2. Anorexics don’t believe that they deserve to eat – they feel unworthy. 3. Anorexia isn’t only physical. It is a mental disorder. 4. Young females mainly experience anorexia. 5. The majority of Tumblr posts encourage anorexia – they make anorexia seem cool.
Strategic Platfrom.
What is the brand challenge?
Anorexia is promoted as something cool on Tumblr. The challenge is to remind young females that eating disorders are incredibly dangerous and far from being ”cool.”
What is the key insight?
The target audience searches “anorexia” on Tinder because the search results make the mental disorder seem glamorous, trendy and cool.
Geographic. Country: South Africa Province: Gauteng City: Johannesburg Suburb: Bryanstone Population (total): 8 860.
Demographic.
Age: 16 - 24 Gender: Female Occupation: High School/Studying Generation: Millennial Education: Secondary/Tertiary Ethnicity: White Religion: Agnostic
Psychographic. Behavioural.
Lifestyle: Social, fast-paced, technological & entertainment based. Benefits sought: Connectivity, visual imagery, escapism, Personality: Quirky, cynical, self-centred, curious. Occasions: Daily use. Social class: Middle class. Usage rate: High. User status: Regular user. Loyalty status: Cult-like loyalty.
Target Profile.
What is the key message based on the insight? The message is that anorexia isn’t glamorous. It is a mental illness.
How to solve the problem?
Deglamourize anorexia through a campaign that exposes the reality of the mental illness which is rarely shown.
Concept Development & Creative Process
wo r t h y
Pairing anorexic obsession equipment with affirmations of worthiness.
wo r t h y I need control
The underlying problem – need for control.
1. Create yourself beyond your disorder craft 2. Deglamorize the image of anorexia 3. You are worthy quotations 4. Anorexia recovery testimonies 5. The underlying problem – need for control 6. Pairing anorexic obsession equipment with affirmations of worthiness 7. You can’t live a full life on an empty stomach – collection of ”full” moments that anorexics miss out on. 8. Enough. You are enough – Enough of anorexia and affirming enoughness. 9. Every meal is a decision to heal – meals of nourishment that are manifestations of healing. 10. Kate Moss: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” – list of all the things that feel better than skinny. 11. The fault in pro-ana – circling the sadness in pro-anorexic imagery. 12. Online self-love workshop. 13. Beautiful Ana – Family letters to anorexic daughter. 14. Instead of counting calories – refocus attention to count blessings 15. Your goal weight is a heartbreak – what family sees during anorexia. 16. Starved of delight – showcasing the depression that is paired with anorexia. 17. Reillustrating anorexic characters to pay homage to their journey and
overcoming anorexia. 18. Irrational fear – gaining calories by touching food, the smaller the pieces of food = less fat 19. Terrible friends – showcasing the ugly reality of ana buddies/meanspo 20. Express anorexic – poetry from anorexia. 21. Obsessive thought streams – the inner workings of Anorexic mind when dealing with food. 22. Personify anorexic – depressed rain-cloud like illustration 23. Anti-ana tips – taking anorexic tips and making them health tips. 24. Things my eating disorder has made me do – story of sucky realities such as isolation, self-harm, passing out, exercise, obsessively think about food, purging, rotting teeth. 25. Skinny saying – “Once on the lips, forever on the hips,” and how these common saying haunt young girls into adulthood. 26. The last moments – anorexic’s lasts thoughts of wishing to stay alive. 27. Not control, self-hate – acknowledging selfhate behaviors. 28. The girl behind the Tumblr - her regrets yet seems so beautiful 29. Side effects of skinny – brittle bones, rotting teeth, bruises 30. Hashtags can kill – show someone finding pro-ana and becoming anorexic. 31. The anorexic girl you knew is dead now 32. Itinerary of obsession compared to normal persons schedule. 33. Warning signs of anorexia for family and friends
Concepts
Key Insight
90% of Tumblr posts glamorous anorexia and make it seem trendy.
Executions
1. Anorexia “not cool” apparel. 2. Anorexia not cool conference 3. YouTube series showing reality of anorexia - personal interview 4. YouTube series showcasing family effects of anorexia 5. Deconstructing Tumblr posts and reposting them with reality markings 6. Instagram personal account ‘I thought it was glamorous but…” personal accounts 7. Twitter accounts posting about reality of anorexia and then dying off 8. SnapChat 24 hours with anorexic 9. Instagram story of anorexic dying girl. First hour insert feeding tube, second hour feeling fraile. 10. Updating ‘dating content’ page of Tumblr when search anorexia 11. Reality posts amonst idealistic anorexia posts on blog forums 12. Tumblr live: What I wish I knew about anorexia 13. Billboard of food rituals showcasing obsessive nature of anorexia 14. Modern feature film of anorexia 15. Street polls showing process of girl dying from anorexia 16. Ssacrifies of anorexia posters – i.e: socail life + seperation 17. Before and after blog post – “I was, I am..” 18. Celebrity insight on anorexia blog post 19. Starved of [joy] etc.. School posters 20. Recovery center look in – live stream 21. Ana – illustrated short film 22. Scale activation which shows positive attributes rather than weight 23. “Worthy” workshop to empower recovering anorexics 24. Hashtags used by pro-anorexics paired with images that contradict negative aspects 25. Delusion of fulfillment video on Youtube.
Creative Concept
Deglamourizing anorexia through the Tumblr platform.
Unpacking the creative concept The deglamourizing anorexia campaign exposes the reality of the underlying dangers of anorexia that is hidden amongst the typical glamorous images of anorexia that are frequently posted on social media sites, specifcally Tumblr. The message is that anorexia isn't glamorous. It is a mental illness. The big idea is to meet the target audience where they try to find ”thinspiration” “meanspiration” and ”pro-anorexic” posts and instead, provide them with real information about the dark side of the mental disorder. The concept must be delivered in an approachable manner so that the audience can fully receive the message that is trying to be delivered. Trendy millennial tones will be used, bold yet relatable typography and illustrations that allow the target audience to truly take the communication to heart and ensure that it leaves a lasting impression. This can be executed through updating the warning page which shows up when someone is searching damaging content, through Tumblr posts that break the cycle of pro-anorexic posts and online apparel which makes the campaign more tangible and impactful.
Execution of Solution/ Application of Craft
• Tips to hide your eating disorder – tips to overcome disorder • Gaining confidence in your body doesn’t begin with starvation.
More Ideas
• Starvation isn’t the key to confidence. Perhaps search for fitinspiration or self-love • What's the point of being skinny if your too exhausted to enjoy it? • Beyond this point is only sadness • You don’t need an ana-buddy, You need to be your own best friend. • Meanspo • It’s not worth rotting teeth, • Don’t get angry at yourself, Get angry at the eating disorder. • Your self-image has been distorted by socially constructed ideas of beauty. • The number on the scale doesn’t define you. • Pro-anorexia is blatant self-hate • If you are going to count, Count how many times you’ve had to cancel because...
Outdated search warning
Execution One: Updated Warning Pages The first image illustration shows the delusional aspect of anorexia which is reaffirmed by the copy “your self-image has been distorted by socially constructed beauty ideals.� I created this copy so that the target audience would understand that being skinny is merely an ideal and thus make the target audience feel less pressure to conform to the standard. I added a shadow to foreshadow the depression and the low self-esteem that is paired with anorexia. The warning is an image that the target audience would instinctively repost on their own walls but it has a much deeper message.
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.
SELF-LOVE
Self-harm
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.
SELF-LOVE
Self-harm
The second image represents the close link between anorexia and purging. The illustration delivers the idea that purging is an act of self-hate and that food isn’t the problem but rather the mental illness of anorexia. The illustration is appealing but it effectively deglamourizes anorexia by providing the true context of the disease.
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.
SELF-LOVE
Self-harm
The third illustration provides insight into the games that anorexics typically play with their food. They move their food around and show great interest but they do not actually eat their food. It was made to feel like an anorexics message to herself which makes the image more personal. By pairing quirky fonts, relatable images and appealing colours, I created an execution that connects with both the heart and the mind of the target audience because the illustrations are all based off of familiar moments. If the target audience chooses to click the “self-love� button, they would instantly feel empowered while the self-harm button would be incredibly difficult to press. The illustrated approach connects with the target audience. As a recovering anorexic, I have clicked past the warning search page several times without second-guessing my actions but the updated warning would have made me seriously contemplate my decision to view harmful content.
Anti-anorexia apparel.
Anti-anorexia apparel was created to remind young females that anorexia isn’t as glamorous as social media makes it out to be. In contrast, joining the fight against anorexia is cool, that’s why we’ve decided to manufacture inspiring and trendy t-shirts that support the cause and can be paired with any outfit. Light weight and breathable, these t-shirts serve as reminder for those trying to overcome the illness. We took existing hashtags that support anorexia such as pro-ana, meanspiration and thinspiration, and we created phrases that go against the glamorisation of anorexia which occurs on social media platforms. 100% of the profit earned from anti-anorexia apparel is used to help those suffering from anorexia.
join the fight against anorexia
Anti-anorexia apparel.
Join the fight Against anorexia
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.
Jo in the fig ht Against anorexia
Execution Three - Visual Blog Posts
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.
Creative rationale. I chose to bring awareness to the social issue of anorexia through the communication of the Tumblr South Africa brand. I decided to use a social media brand rather than a recovery centre because I wanted target audience to recognise the danger and the symptoms of the mental illness so that they could monitor and improve their habits before they become life threatening. The target audience for the campaign include females between the age of 16 and 24 who live in Bryanston. They are quirky, cynical, curious and use Tumblr on a daily basis. They have established profiles and they frequently repost imagery. They love illustration work and bright colours. I created a millennial palette that matches the aesthetic of the target profile. My creative concept is to deglamourizing anorexia through the Tumblr platform. The deglamourizing anorexia campaign exposes the reality of the underlying dangers of anorexia that is hidden amongst the typical glamorous images of anorexia that are frequently posted on social media sites, specifically Tumblr. The message is that anorexia isn't glamorous. It is a mental illness. The big idea is to meet the target audience where they try to find ”thinspiration” “meanspiration” and ”pro-anorexic” posts and instead, provide them with real information about the dark side of the mental disorder. The concept must be delivered in an approachable manner so that the audience can fully receive the message that is trying to be delivered. I created a trendy millennial colour pallet, I selected bold yet relatable typography and I hand rendered illustrations that allow the target audience to truly take the communication to heart which would leave a lasting impression. Firstly, I decided to update the “warning” page for the pro-anorexic archive which exists on Tumblr. The existing warning is too copy heavy and it is easy to choose to view the results of the harmful content. I wanted to create a warning page that would make the target audience second guess their search. Instead of having a button that says “view search results” which is easy to click, I decided to make the target audience choose self-love, which would redirect them to the Tumblr home page ore self-hate, which displays the search results for “anorexia,” “proana,” “thinspiration” and meanspo” which are all tags that the target audience uses to view harmful content. Choosing between self-love and self-hate makes the target audience really contemplate the
value that they place on their lives. This reflection could ultimately change their lives. If the audience needs assistance, they can click “help and support” which will provide them with more information on how to overcome illnesses and numbers to call in case of emergency. The tag line for the campaign is “Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.” This reiterates the idea that people aren’t searching for images of protruding bones that look beautiful but rather the images of people who are deeply broken and ill. I created the images in a loose illustration style that the target audience relates to and I carefully selected colours that provided the viewer with comfort rather than harsh colours that would make the viewer feel attacked. Execution one: The first image illustration shows the delusional aspect of anorexia which is reaffirmed by the copy “your self-image has been distorted by socially constructed beauty ideals.” I created this copy so that the target audience would understand that being skinny is merely an ideal and thus make the target audience feel less pressure to conform to the standard. I added a shadow to foreshadow the depression and the low self-esteem that is paired with anorexia. The warning is an image that the target audience would instinctively repost on their own walls but it has a much deeper message. The second image represents the close link between anorexia and purging. The illustration delivers the idea that purging is an act of self-hate and that food isn’t the problem but rather the mental illness of anorexia. The illustration is appealing but it effectively deglamourizes anorexia by providing the true context of the disease. The third illustration provides insight into the games that anorexics typically play with their food. They move their food around and show great interest but they do not actually eat their food. It was made to feel like an anorexics message to herself which makes the image more personal. By pairing quirky fonts, relatable images and appealing colours, I created an execution that connects with both the heart and the mind of the target audience because the illustrations are all based off of familiar moments. If the target audience chooses to click the “self-love” button, they would instantly feel empowered while the self-harm button would be incredibly difficult to press. The illustrated approach connects with the target audience. As a recovering anorexic, I have clicked past the warning search page several times without second-guessing my actions but the updated warning would have made me seriously contemplate my decision to view harmful content.
Execution two: The anti-anorexia apparel is the most extendable element of campaign. It truly inspires the target audience as they feel connected to overcoming the anorexia. Buyers can support their loved ones by wearing the shirts. The metaphor of “wearing ones strength” comes into play. Anti-anorexia apparel was created to remind young females that anorexia isn’t as glamorous as social media makes it out to be. In contrast, joining the fight against anorexia is cool, that’s why we’ve decided to manufacture inspiring and trendy t-shirts that support the cause and can be paired with any outfit. Light weight and breathable, these t-shirts serve as reminder for those trying to overcome the illness. We took existing hashtags that support anorexia such as pro-ana, meanspiration and thinspiration, and we created phrases that go against the glamorisation of anorexia which occurs on social media platforms. 100% of the profit earned from anti-anorexia apparel is used to help those suffering from anorexia. The apparel fits the aesthetic of the target audience and their lifestyles. The shirts look trendy which makes the deglamorisation of anorexia glamorous which is a strong message. I created a look book with all of the t-shirts that would be sold. The look book perfectly encapsulates the essence of the target audience style. Even if someone buys the shirt to look trendy, a positive, powerful message will change the lives of thousands of girls in the real world. In this may, the campaign can last years and the effects become long lasting. Typography was used instead of illustrations because the target audience prefers to wear shirts with phrases on them. They are incredibly on trend. Simple copy is used to effectively communicate with the target audience on a difficult subject.
Execution three: The target audience consists of visual individuals thus visual blog posts have been created to be posted and reposted on Tumblr. When people search for “pro-ana” posts they will find “Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness” posts which are created to dirupt the flow of their search and make them second-guess why they are looking through harmful content. The bright colours will capture the target audiences attention. The simplified hand-rendered drawings are simple to understand and relatable without being too graphic. The visual blog posts discolose the reality of anorexia which consists of broken bones, bruises and rotting teeth. Hashtags such as pro-ana, anorexia, thinspiration and meanspo are used so that the images will appear within the search archive of the target audience. These symptoms are not well-known. They have been used to make aspiring anorexics rethink their behaviour before it is too late. Although simple in aesthetic, the images are thought provoking and encourage self-reflection, as well as a glimpse of the symptoms of the disease. All in all, the campaign that I created changes the way that people think about anorexia. It deglamourizes the idea of anorexia and it showcases the truth of the disease without using graphic imagery. The executions feel like a loving reminder to contemplate destructive behaviour before it is too late. When messages are sent out of love, they are more easily received by the target audience. The campaign is extendable and uses three mediums that meet the target audience in the spaces in which they exist. I shared the campaign with friends of mine who have battled with anorexia and one of them responded by saying, “I wish this was around when I was younger. I used to scroll through Tumblr looking for pro-anorexic images without thinking about my actions. This developed into a massive eating disorder that I am still struggling with.”
Anorexia isn’t glamorous. It’s a mental illness.