Carrying out creative activities, such as drawing or crafting, can provide physical and mental health benefits, including greater relaxation or reduced stress and anxiety, but many people are unaware of these benefits or do not dedicate enough time to them. Bupa, a global medical insurance and health services company, wanted to remember the positive impact of creativity on well-being with a series of artistic activations at an international level.
It does so with the “Express Your Health” campaign, which has been worked on together with the creative studio Story Studio, the neuroaesthetics company Kinda Studios, the advertising mural company Global Street Art and the communication and PR agency Pretty Green. Its goal is to celebrate creativity as a powerful tool to share health experiences and encourage people to express themselves to feel less alone and empower them to seek medical care when they need it.
Collaborators from all over the world have shared their experience in health through art
The message is embodied in a large mural that has been displayed in Waterloo, London. The piece has a size equivalent to 22 double-decker buses, according to the company in a statement, and brings together the creations of 21 collaborators with different profiles.
Among them are artists, athletes or content creators from all over the world. Olympic trampoline diver Tom Daley, known for his love of knitting; Australian footballer Cody Weightman, or renowned artists such as Sophie Tea, Yinka Ilori and Coco Dávez, are some of those who have contributed their personal story about health through different creative pieces.
Thus, the mural is made up of illustrations, drawings, or photos of creatives that represent stories about fertility, anemia, diabetes, anxiety or aging. It shows how art can express the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health and calls for greater exploration of the connection between creativity and well-being.
Beyond the mural, the campaign also includes activations in Madrid, Melbourne and Sydney. In our country, the execution has been carried out through Sanitas and in collaboration with the artist Óscar Alonso, better known as 72kilos. He has shared his personal experience about how art helped him overcome situations of stress and pressure associated with the work environment.
The work with which he has contributed to the initiative is called “Clouds”. “It tells how I was in a critical moment in which, despite having everything, I felt that there was only darkness. My family and my drawings helped me sustain that inner sun that I tried to never lose.”, he expressed on social networks.
Here you can see the original publication of 72kilos.
“Nubes” has been included in the projection carried out by Sanitas on the outdoor digital screens of the Capitol Gran Vía cinemas, in Madrid. A video has shown some of the pieces that are part of “Express your health”, and which can also be explored in the digital gallery created for the occasion. This collects contributions from collaborators, and expands information about their work and stories.
In addition, Bupa also invites people from all over the world to make their contribution. By doing so, they will be able to enter the drawing for a printed edition of one of the works of the collaborating creators and artists. To participate, users must share their creations through the initiative’s website. This must be inspired by your personal health story, made by hand, in square format and avoid explicit content, thinking about the protection of minors.
The company is also encouraging the public, through social media content, to spend 30 minutes unleashing their creativity and experiencing its health benefits. The initiative’s website also collects results from studies and research that point to the advantages of making or viewing art on issues such as reducing the risk of depression or long-term mental health.
On the other hand, as part of the initiative, Bupa has partnered with D&AD, the global organization focused on design and commercial creativity, to launch the next call for the New Blood Awards, which encourage students and emerging creatives to tackle real projects from real brands through creativity.
“Express Your Health” is based on scientific studies and research carried out by the company itself among 4,000 adults in the United Kingdom, Spain and Australia. This indicates that 58% feel relaxed and calm when participating in activities such as art, and 83% say that it reduces stress and anxiety.
Nevertheless. Almost half (47%) of people do not spend time on creative activities, and around a quarter point to lack of time (24%), lack of inspiration (26%) and tiredness after work (28%) as some of the main obstacles.
“This work highlights something we see globally: when people have the opportunity to share their health experiences, it can be transformative.” commented Fiona Bosman, Brand Director of the Bupa group, in a statement. “Through this campaign, we encourage people to express themselves creatively, because when words are difficult to find, creativity can help us process, communicate and connect, and ultimately, have greater control of our health.”.
