From Stigma to Support
Elevating Awareness of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Background
The Minnesota Department of Health set out to expand awareness, trust, and use of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a simple three-digit number connecting anyone experiencing emotional distress to free, confidential, 24/7 support. To help make 988 feel known, local, and approachable, KOSE launched a statewide, multi-channel effort designed to normalize seeking help, and ensure Minnesotans understood that compassionate support was only three digits away.
Challenge
The campaign needed to reach the entire state, spanning dense metro regions and remote rural counties, while resonating across diverse communities. We also needed to deliver this potentially life-saving information in five languages. Beyond scale, the message required a careful tone: Minnesotans needed to believe 988 would offer an empathetic, nonjudgmental listening ear, not criticism or stigma. Success meant more than visibility; it required credibility, emotional safety, and a genuine cultural shift that made asking for mental health support feel as ordinary as getting a routine check-up.
Solution
KOSE developed a media plan optimized for reach, frequency, and reinforcement across screens, speakers, and public spaces. To ensure the message reached Minnesotans most in need, we incorporated leading indicators beyond standard platform reporting to inform geographic and audience prioritization. With limited access to data due to privacy safeguards and the sensitive topic, this work required additional navigation. And, it required additional analysis to arrive at a confident approach. The mix balanced broad exposure with trusted environments that built confidence in 988’s local relevance.
The integrated media approach included:
- Programmatic display and video to anchor scale and efficiency, supported by strong cost performance.
- YouTube to extend storytelling at volume and drive high completion rates.
- Connected TV across premium networks to reach households with brand-safe, high-attention placements.
- Streaming audio and podcasts to deliver the message in immersive listening moments.
- Local broadcast and a “look-live” interview-style segment to elevate trust and legitimacy through familiar local programming.
- Out-of-home across light rail, bus shelters, and transit interiors to keep 988 visible during daily routines.
- Meta and social placements supported by brand lift measurement to validate recall and awareness gains.
Creative strategy: Assets were developed that balanced clarity with care, featuring real Minnesotan faces and stories to humanize 988. Narrative spots helped reduce stigma, while educational versions explained what to expect when calling or texting.
Adaptive optimization: As performance data came in, incremental investment shifted toward the strongest video drivers (including YouTube and other high-performing platforms) without requiring new creative. Targeting and pacing were continually refined, prioritizing rural, high-risk counties based on statewide risk indicators and public health research. In addition, ongoing performance insights informed these adjustments.
Results
By the end of the flight, the campaign exceeded benchmarks across delivery, efficiency, and engagement. In addition it maintained a sensitive, stigma-free tone. This was especially impressive because we were able to drive action, even with limited access to data because of privacy and the sensitive nature of the topic.
- 988 contacts increased by 55% Y/Y, greatly exceeding expectations.
- Google searches for 988 in Minnesota doubled, showing awareness and acceptance of the 988 Lifeline.
- A 13.4-point lift in ad recall on Meta, well above the ~5-point lift benchmark.
- Delivered 200M+ impressions with nearly 50M completed video views. YouTube averaged a 62% view rate, outperforming the ~32% view rate average (awisee.com), while Connected TV achieved a 97% completion rate, exceeding the 90% benchmark (AI Digital).
More than metrics, the effort helped reshape perception. Minnesotans encountered 988 on commutes, in trusted local programming, and across everyday digital moments. This reinforced that reaching out is safe, local, and compassionate. By normalizing help-seeking and building trust at scale, 988 became a resource people recognized and believed in, not a number they feared they might need.
Services Included
Media Strategy Planning, & Buying
Content Strategy, Community, & Ads Management
Campaign Structure
Channel Planning
Paid Search
Paid Social
Analytics/ Reporting
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