MENTAL HEALTH IS HEALTH
PARAMOUNT GLOBAL | MTV ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS
MTV Entertainment Studios | Mental Health is Health | Case Study
Mental Health Is Health
At a time when anxiety, depression, and suicide rates were rising - particularly among young people - MTV Entertainment Studios launched Mental Health is Health, a multi-platform social impact initiative designed to normalize conversations around mental health and activate audiences toward meaningful change.
The initiative reframed mental health not as a niche issue, but as a universal human one with a message that was simple, declarative, and urgent: Mental Health is Health.
As Executive Creative Director, Chris Williams helped shaped the campaign voice, tone, and emotional architecture leading creative development and production of an ecosystem that powered the movement across On-Air Network Spots, Talent-driven PSAs, Custom Social and Digital Activations, Long-form and Short-form content integrations, and Cross-Brand Promotional Toolkits for partners and schools.
The campaign wasn’t just awareness-based, it was action-driven.
Mental Health is Health | “VMA Exploding Moonman” 2021 MTV Entertainment Group | :30 PSA Spot Music Provided Gratis By: Olivia Rodrigo Writer, Editor, & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams 2022 Promax North America Gold Winner - Public Service Announcement Promo
Mental Health ACTION DAY
As a key pillar of the initiative, Chris led the creative direction and production of assets for Mental Health Action Day, a large-scale, cross-industry activation designed to shift audiences from awareness to action. The creative mandate was clear: Don’t just talk about mental health. Do something about it.
Built as a coordinated, global moment, the campaign mobilized talent, brands, and partners across broadcast and social platforms simultaneously. Content was designed to meet audiences in real time, encouraging simple, tangible acts of care, from check-ins to reaching out to someone in need.
What began as a single day quickly became a shared movement. One that unified thousands of organizations under a cohesive call to action, and invited audiences not just to engage with the message, but to carry it forward.
Today, Mental Health Action Day includes more than 2,700 partners across over 100 countries, and has grown into the largest collective mental health media mobilization in the world, driving millions toward acts of support, connection, and community care.
The largest collective mental health media mobilization in the world.
Mental Health is Health | “Mental Health Action Day Box Breathing” 2022 MTV Entertainment Group & Paramount Global | :30 PSA Spot Writer, Editor, & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams
THE Mental Health MEDIA GUIDE
Recognizing the media industry’s powerful role in shaping perception, MTV Entertainment’s Social Impact team began coalition building - teaming up with industry competitors and cross-sector partners to create a groundbreaking, first-of-it’s-kind resource designed to help creators portray mental health responsibly and authentically. In partnership with nation’s leading Mental Health Non-Profits, as well as our peers at Amazon Studios, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, Warner Media, YouTube, TikTok, and OWN - Chris Williams also led the creative team that elevated the guide from a static document into a living, breathing creative tool - now embedded across internal teams and partner networks industry wide.
The guide provides: Language Frameworks, Storytelling Best Practices, Research-Backed Expert Recommendations, Cultural Competency Insights, and Real World Examples for writers, producers, marketers, filmmakers and executives.
Click Photo to Explore the Media Guide
BY DESIGN
The impact wasn’t driven by a single piece. It was built as an ecosystem.
Launched in alignment with Mental Health Action Day and carried forward through ongoing initiatives, Mental Health is Health was designed to meet audiences where they already were, in their feeds, in real time, and in moments that demanded participation, not just awareness.
Across MTV Entertainment Studios, Paramount, and partner platforms, the campaign moved as a coordinated system. Short-form videos, creator-led content, talent amplification, and platform-native storytelling worked in tandem, turning individual pieces into a continuous, shared experience.
Each component extended the next. Each platform reinforced the message. This wasn’t just distribution, it was intentional movement. Because when a message is built to travel, it doesn’t just reach people, it stays with them.
CAMPAIGN CURATION
Mental Health is Health | Mental Health Storytelling Coalition Reel 2025 MTV Entertainment Studios Writer & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Agency Partner: Stuck In Motion
As part of MTV Entertainment Studios’ Commitment to Mental Health is Health, storylines depicting mental health challenges doubled in MTV Entertainment and Showtime Studios Series. This reel was created for other media companies and non-profit partners to join our Storytelling Coalition.
Mental Health is Health | “Mental Health Moment” 2023 MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Global | :30 Spot Writer, Editor, & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Agency Partner: Buck 2023 Promax North America Gold Winner - Public Service Announcement Promo
The colors, movement, and sound in this spot are all science-backed to induce calmness. The sound design intentionally uses binaural beats and The Solfeggio Frequency to help open the solar plexus for better breathing.
Mental Health is Health | "Hero Spot” 2021 MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Global | :30 PSA Spot Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Design By: Rich Browd & Tim Livezey Agency Partner: Stuck In Motion
This PSA ran over 2500 times in 2021 across all ViacomCBS linear channels including MTV, PlutoTV, Nickelodeon, CBS, Comedy Central, BET, and others.
Mental Health is Health | “Mental Health Action Day - GIF Spot” 2023 MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Global | :15 Social Spot Editor, & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams
Mental Health Is Health | The Chi “Rewriting the Grief Narrative” 2025 Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios | Social Content Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Writer: Tracey Crooks
Mental Health is Health | Nate Burleson “Talk to Somebody” 2023 CBS & MTV Entertainment Studios |:30 PSA Spot Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Directed By: Melissa Casasnovas
IMPACT SNAPSHOT
Through strategic storytelling, cross-platform creative leadership, and culturally attuned execution, we transformed mental health from a corporate directive into a cultural movement that reached millions and reshaped how a generation talks about well-being.
Mental HEalth is HEalth Launch STATS
36 MILLION
Social Impressions
454,000
Engagements across MTVE Platforms
50,000+
MentalHealthisHealth.us site visits
500+
Social Posts across MTVE Brand Socials
Mental HEalth ACTION DAY ACTIVATIONS
320 MILLION+
Public Engagements
195 MILLION+
TikTok Views
Cross Sector Corporate Partners
2700
100
Number of Countries Participating in Mental Health Action Day
AWARDS
2022 - Anthem Awards Winner - Global Awareness Campaign
2022 - Promax North America Awards - Gold Winner - PSA Promo
2022 - Promax North America Awards - Silver Winner - Sound Design
2021 - Shorty Impact Awards Winner - Public Safety
2021 - Anthem Awards Winner - Collaboration
2022 - Anthem Awards Winner - Strategy
2023 - Promax North America Awards - Gold Winner - PSA Promo
2023 - Anthem Awards Winner - Social Media Content or Campaign
2024 - The Telly Awards - Bronze Winner - Social Media Content
CREDITS
CEO Paramount Global: Chris McCarthy Chief Marketing Officer: Amy Campbell Chief Marketing Officer (2021): Jacqueline Parkes SVP Brand Creative: Justin Russell SVP Brand Creative: Deva Newman SVP, Creative Strategy: Lauren Epstein Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Creative Director: Rosa White Creative Director: Sundi Lofty Creative Director: Gianna Orzo Writer: Tracey Crooks Sr. Editor: Chris Williams Editor: Becky Katzman
SVP Project Management: Francesca Batista VP Project Management: Joyeux Noel Director Project Management: Jaime Clifford Executive Producer: Sean Linehan Project Manager: Kira McGann Producer: Suzana Ognjanovic Producer: Vadim Shalit Producer: Anoosha Chari SVP On-Air Design: Thomas Berger SVP On-Air Design: Timothy Livezey VP On-Air Design: Rich Browd VP On-Air Design: Pam Brill Sr. Creative Director On-Air Design: Lance Rusoff Producer On-Air Design: Collette Moffatt Producer On-Air Design: Kelly McCrossin
SVP Social Impact: Brianna Cayo Cotter Social Impact Consultant: Stephen K. Friedman VP Social Impact: Erika Soto Lamb VP Social Impact: Noopur Agarwal Director Social Impact: Rachael Wall-Terrell Social Impact: Meredith Goldberg-Morse Social Impact: Vaughan Bagley Social Impact: Jay Osterman Social Impact: Max Zorrick Social Impact: Daylee Baker Social Impact: Tulsi Patel Comms: Jo Flaherty Audio Engineer: Austin Friend Audio Engineer: Dave Huston
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WHAT WE DO
Creative Direction
Campaign Creative Direction Film & Promo Creative Direction Multi-Platform Creative Leadership
CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
Entertainment & Brand Campaigns Social Impact Campaigns Cultural & Heritage Month Initiatives
Social-First Storytelling
Social Video Campaigns Digital Shorts & Micro-Documentaries Talent & Series Driven Social Content
Trailers & PROMOS
Film & Series Promos Documentary & Feature Film Trailers Launch Trailers for Network & Streaming
Production Development
Conceptual Sizzle & Rip Reels Proof-of-Concept Films Series & Format Development
Event Storytelling
Award Show Honoree Films Tribute Films & Event Openers B2B, Board, & Upfront Presentation Films
Full Production Services
Producing & Showrunning Script & Copywriting Post-Production Editorial