988: Live Your Life
CASE STUDY
CHALLENGE
The U.S. introduced 988 as a new three-digit, nationwide number connecting individuals to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In New York City, 988 replaced NYC Well as the city’s primary access point for mental health and substance use crisis services. While awareness of the number was growing nationally, NYC faced a localized challenge:
How do we normalize the use of 988 in a culturally complex, media-saturated city and build meaningful trust across communities historically underserved by mental health systems?
The goal was to establish 988 not just as a hotline, but as an empowering, lifesaving resource for all New Yorkers—particularly BIPOC, people with disabilities, and others disproportionately impacted by mental health disparities.
IMPACT
By elevating mental health care to a matter of public dignity—not personal failure—“Live Your Life” helped position 988 as a modern, inclusive resource that meets New Yorkers where they are.
The campaign reinforced the city’s broader goals to:
Shift public perception of crisis care
Destigmatize mental health and substance use
Increase trust in help-seeking systems
Reduce suicide attempts and behavioral health emergencies
Research & Insight
Studies showed that people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals experience higher rates of mental health stressors, yet often face cultural stigma, lack of access to care, and distrust of institutions. In NYC alone, over 250,000 residents live with serious mental illness, yet service connection gaps persist due to socioeconomic, racial, and systemic barriers.
We grounded our work in health equity and behavioral science frameworks, recognizing that shame, fear, and alienation are among the key barriers to help-seeking behavior. Our campaign strategy sought to counter these forces with humanizing, affirmative messaging that encourages connection, not correction.
Strategic Approach
We developed “Live Your Life” as a universal yet inclusive platform that repositions 988 as a gateway to thriving, not just surviving.
The strategy centered on:
Empowerment over Crisis – Reframing help-seeking as a sign of strength and dignity, not weakness.
Uplifted Lived Experience – FeaturingNew Yorkers in vibrant, affirming moments.
Normalizing the Ask – Positioning 988 as a natural, everyday act of self-care.
Visual Continuity – Integrating 988’s national brand colors with NYC-specific creative to ensure both familiarity and local relevance.
Plain-Spoken Language – Using warm, accessible messaging in English, Spanish, and Chinese to reach more people.
We intentionally avoided overly clinical or dramatic tones. Instead, we led with joy, connection, and the idea that mental wellness is a right—not a luxury.
Creative Execution
Our experience in branding and developing multiple campaigns for NYC Well played a key role in shaping this highly successful 988 campaign. To timely coincide with World Mental Health Day, we swiftly created and launched a large-scale multilingual, multimedia effort to promote the new three-digit resource.
The campaign features a diverse mix of New Yorkers seeking support in various settings, alongside individuals who have found stability and joy after reaching out to 988—reinforcing that seeking help leads to progress, connection, and a return to everyday life.
Our creative featured a mix of vibrant lifestyle photography, colorful animation, and narrative-driven videos to show that “living your life” is possible with support. Building on the national 988 brand guidelines, DCF produced a series of video, print, newspaper, digital, and social media ads in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese, along with outreach materials available in 14 languages.
Media placements included:
NYC subway digital liveboards
Bus shelters
Staten Island Ferry terminals
Local neighborhood posters
Paid social and YouTube video
Radio (:30)
Collateral outreach materials
Results
While city-level analytics are managed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the campaign was supported by a formal press release from the City of New York. The campaign received positive coverage in national mental health news, including the World Economic Forum for its creative efforts to reach marginalized youth.
Key campaign outcomes (as reported in NYC public sources):
High levels of engagement in paid digital placements, with tens of thousands of video views across YouTube and social media.
Significant out-of-home reach across the five boroughs, particularly in underserved areas.
Campaign assets tested highly in focus groups across multiple demographics, particularly for relatability and emotional resonance.
