This post is part of a blog series focusing on successful health marketing campaigns using multiple communications disciplines and media channels.  If you have a campaign we should highlight, let us know.

I’ve always been interested in mental health media campaigns, partly because they are relatively rare and because I understand it is a difficult topic for many to acknowledge or discuss. This is why I’d like to highlight a campaign I recently came across, Bring Change 2 Mind, which is sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The Bring Change 2 Mind campaign is designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Check out the campaign television advertisement below. The ad features commentary by the actress Glenn Close and music by musician John Mayer. Although there are many elements of this commercial I like, I am particularly impressed by the role Glenn Close played.

Celebrity Spokespersons: Think Carefully Before You Commit

This got me thinking about the use of celebrities in cause marketing campaigns. I recently read a blog post from Cone Communications, a marketing firm in Boston, which sharing successful strategies for including celebrities in cause marketing campaigns. The post reminded marketers to think long and hard about whether or not celebrities are appropriate for a specific initiative. Cone reminds marketers that celebrities come with big price tags and have the potential to backfire for the organization. The post cites Michael Phelps and Chris Brown as examples of how a negative or controversial event in a celebrity’s life can damage a cause marketing campaign.

In a previous post I discussed McGuire’s theory and how important it is to choose an appropriate source for the message. Glenn Close’s sister has bipolar, which is why she is an example of a credible, trustworthy, authentic, powerful, likable and attractive spokesperson.

Celebrities can contribute greatly to public health campaigns, but it is important that marking communications professionals work closely public health organizations in the process.

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Read More from Walking the Path:

1. Yellowball
2. Promoting Public Health – Not the Public’s Health.
3. Love Life and Live Up – HIV Campaigns Around the World