{"id":6290,"date":"2019-07-04T12:10:15","date_gmt":"2019-07-04T12:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hyperlink-technology.com\/nesma\/?p=6290"},"modified":"2019-07-04T12:10:15","modified_gmt":"2019-07-04T12:10:15","slug":"a-game-changing-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hyperlink-technology.com\/nesma\/a-game-changing-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"A Game Changing Campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"

This month Veronica had a chat with Ashley<\/span> Lowe<\/a>,<\/span> Health and Wellbeing Manager at Newcastle United Foundation<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>about the ‘Be a Game Changer’ <\/a><\/span>campaign she launched in February.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

So, what\u2019s the basis of the ‘Be a Game Changer’ campaign?<\/span><\/h3>\n

It was fully supported by Newcastle City Council and the Premier League, and its aim is to change the conversation about mental health among Newcastle United fans. As part of the campaign, we are providing tips on how to look after your physical health and mental wellbeing, sharing real-life stories from supporters and signposting to support services. To reach our target audience, we are using a mix of traditional channels including press, social media, community events and match day activities.<\/p>\n

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Let’s get talking about Mental Health<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How did the Mental Health Awareness week campaign go?<\/span><\/h3>\n

We were out and about in the community talking to people and spreading the word about the campaign. People are taking a real interest and want to be part of it. Social Media helped us make a real impact. We got a significant engagement through our channels which was supported by interviews with members of our Health and Wellbeing team on fan podcasts, BBC Radio Newcastle and ITV Tyne Tees. As a result of this\u00a0combined activity, we had 20 fans contact us who wished to share their mental health story on the basis that it could help others, which is fantastic.<\/p>\n

Can you describe your ideal target audience?<\/span><\/h3>\n

We are targeting NUFC fans, particularly men, age 30-49. Male suicide rates are terrifyingly high, and we feel that by using the Newcastle United brand, we can help them tackle an issue that otherwise they might not talk about. 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime, and it’s important that society knows how it could support someone who finds themselves in that situation.<\/p>\n

What are the main problems you face in getting the message across?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The message has been really well received with lots of positive feedback from fans. A potential issue is reaching the fans who don’t come to the match and who don’t use social media, but we have a few ideas to combat this! Due to demand, we have recently developed two toolkits – for businesses and grassroots football clubs, these act as a ‘how-to’ guide in using our campaign materials which will help us to reach more fans. We will also contact local venues such as pubs, barber shops, social clubs etc. to offer our campaign resources to their clientele.<\/p>\n

What have you found works well?<\/span><\/h3>\n

The usual activity did have the desired effect in generating interest and raising awareness, but we needed to do more than that. We needed to change mindsets towards mental health – and we wanted to create a space where male fans could feel comfortable learning more about mental health and wellbeing. We set up a Facebook group that has enabled us to create\u00a0a community for Newcastle United fans who want to share information on health and wellbeing and also offer support to each other. The group grows daily, and although the Foundation does post regularly, we now see members sharing useful tips and information, which is precisely what we hoped we could achieve in that space.<\/p>\n

What are the next steps for this campaign?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Our upcoming plans include:<\/p>\n