Choose Mental Health

Choose Mental Health
Smile Award

Type: Public Relations

200

In the program’s first two years, nominations from mental health professionals, nonprofits, and advocacy groups grew by ~200% from the inaugural year to the next.

Choose Mental Health is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to mental health resources for children and families. By partnering with leading mental health providers, advocacy groups, and corporate sponsors, Choose Mental Health works to increase awareness and deliver impactful solutions for mental wellness.

Key Highlights:

Led the ideation of the SMILE Award program to enhance Choose Mental Health’s industry authority and brand awareness.
Developed and executed a comprehensive strategy to launch the inaugural and subsequent SMILE Award programs.
Engaged key stakeholders, including mental health advocates, corporate sponsors, and community leaders to enhance award program and overall brand visibility.

Overview

Choose Mental Health operates in the nonprofit mental health sector, focusing on advocacy and expanding access to critical resources. The organization partnered with Reputation Partners (RP) to develop, launch and elevate the awareness and credibility for its SMILE Award program, an initiative recognizing individuals and organizations making significant contributions to children’s mental health. Given the competitive landscape of nonprofit recognition programs, Choose Mental Health sought a strategic partner that would ideate and execute creative campaigns, like the SMILE Award program, that would maximize exposure and position Choose Mental Health as a leader in the mental health space.

Strategy

RP crafted a multi-faceted PR and communications strategy, including:

Program Ideation: Brainstormed, developed and launched the SMILE Award program as a creative campaign to further the reach of Choose Mental Health’s mission and elevate its brand awareness along with those making a difference in the mental health space.
Message Development: Crafted compelling messaging to highlight the significance of the award and its impact.
Media Relations: Developed targeted media lists and conducted outreach to national and regional media covering mental health, nonprofit initiatives, and human-interest stories.
Digital & Social Media Strategy: Created engaging content to amplify awareness across Choose Mental Health’s digital platforms, including press releases, organic and paid social media campaigns, email marketing and more.
Influencer & Stakeholder Engagement: Identified and engaged key mental health advocates and community leaders to champion the program.
Event Support & Coordination: Provided PR support for the award announcement, ensuring maximum visibility through pre- and post-event outreach.
Program Expansion: Reviewed and implemented feedback to enhance the program year-over-year with expansion into new categories to elevate youth leaders supporting mental health based on market research and audience feedback.

Results

Award Nominations: In the program’s first two years, nominations from mental health professionals, nonprofits, and advocacy groups grew by ~200% from the inaugural year to the next.
Stakeholder Engagement: Strengthened relationships with key influencers, corporate sponsors, and media partners, setting the stage for future collaborations.
Social Media Engagement: Enhanced social media engagement, driving meaningful audience interaction, especially on posts related to the SMILE Award.

Media Coverage: Secured placements in relevant media outlets including local publications and press release syndication.