Blue Monday, the so-called most depressing day of the year, arrived this week, but Popcorn were hard at work with client Moonpig, and mental health charity Mind, to bust the myth.
Reminding people that depression can happen any day of the year, not just ‘Blue Monday’, and to highlight the important role that friends and family can play in supporting those living with mental health problems, Popcorn worked with client Moonpig to bring its #PlantASmile pop up garden to the heart of the city to raise awareness of mental health.
The stunning floral display, made up of specially selected Moonpig flowers, arrived for one day only in London’s Observation Point, showcasing the importance of staying connected with loved ones throughout the year, not just on special occasions.
Highlighting the reality of ‘Blue Any Day’ for those living with mental health problems, visitors were given the chance to post one of Moonpig’s bespoke Thinking of You cards to a friend free of charge, through their special wishing well placed among the elaborate floral archways.
The public were also able to make donations to the charity on the day of the activation, via social media, by tweeting their Thinking of You message using the #PlantASmile hashtag and tagging in @MoonpigUK and @mindcharity. For one day only, for every tweet, Moonpig donated £1 to Mind.
While the weather may have been miserable, the results of the campaign have been anything but. The day started bright and early with an appearance from campaign ambassador Denise Welch on Sky Sunrise, where statistics commissioned by Moonpig were also featured with a brand credit. Coverage continued to land throughout the day, with the installation even receiving a mini feature on ITV’s This Morning.
Phil and Holly highlighted the beautiful view of the #PlantASmile garden from the studio window, giving both Mind and Moonpig a brand mention, and even pointing out Popcorn’s very own founder Louise Lloyd making a star appearance, handing out flowers to passers-by. Schofield also took to Twitter after the show, giving the campaign his support.
The dedicated #PlantASmile hashtag trended on Twitter, with celebrity shout -outs coming in thick and fast from further famous faces including Rylan Clark-Neal, Lucy Horobin, Phil Vickery and Anna Williamson.
In the first 24 hours alone coverage landed on the likes of Mail Online, Standard.co.uk, talkRADIO, BT.com, Yahoo and PR Week. With over 28 pieces of coverage landed so far and the campaign still in full swing, it’s clear that the Popstars have achieved their goal of helping Moonpig and Mind spread the word that nobody should face mental health problems alone, on any day of the year.
