Riding on the aphorism, “A problem shared is a problem half solved”, leading Lagos marketing solutions firm, X3M ideas has launched a new social advocacy campaign that offers a helping hand to the growing number of depressed individuals and youth in the country.
The agency, which expressed regrets about the turn of events in the country especially with the increasing incidents of suicides and attempted suicides, a development which the agency management believes, was unlike the known Nigerian “can do” and “never say die” spirit.
It was part of these virtues that Nigerians are globally recognized as the “happiest people” on the globe despite all the odds. This is why we, as X3M Ideas, cannot keep silent in the face of this ugly development explains Steve Babaeko, Chief Executive Officer, X3M Ideas.
Babaeko speaking on the agency’s passion for consistently finding the time and resources to churn out campaigns to promote social causes despite its busy work schedule and scarce resources, explains that as corporate organization, X3M Ideas is always pained when situations and events takes a downward turn.
“As a company, X3M Ideas is passionate about youth, the business is positively youthful and the crop of our staff is youth. So when begin to see a trend of the odious happening and almost becoming like a way of life, we would not want to keep silent. In fact that is not our way of life. This is the main reason behind this social advocacy campaign tagged “Depression”.
In the commercial, the agency deployed the ‘craze for social media’ to paint the picture of how depression becomes ingrained in the victim. The victim hides the “depression” behind written words especially on social media pretending “all is well” either because he has no one to talk to or because he did not know such platforms exist or he simply lose confidence in the people around him.
The short “socialmercial” currently airing on HipTV and trending on youtube and other social media platforms, is meant to discourage youth from the growing painful decision to “end it all” which has been causing the nation immeasurable loss such as the loss of the young doctor who took a plunge into the lagoon recently among numerous others.
The video shows the hand of a depressed buddy trying hard to pour out his emotion to his friend on the social media but only succeeded at giving a pretentious impression that “everything is okay”.
The social service campaign tells those trapped in this growing casement to escape, “they need not end it all, there is someone or organization caring and willing to help which victims can to talk to”. The video graciously displays dedicated help-lines: the Nigerian suicide hotlines to be called by the sufferer. A call on the line actually yielded prompt attention.
