Bell breaks Let's Talk campaign
By Adnews Staff
Bell began a new campaign called "Let's Talk" yesterday, intended to raise awareness of and reduce the sigma associated with mental health issues in Canada. The national television, print, radio and outdoor campaign features Olympic speedskater Clara Hughes, who describes her own experiences with depression. The ads also encourage viewers to post comments or questions online at <http://bell.ca/letstalk>. The initiative will run until Feb. 9, which the company has nominated Bell Let's Talk Day. For each text message or long distance call made by its customers that day, Bell will donate five cents to mental health programs. "Fighting stigma is critical to successfully changing perceptions about mental illness and promoting Canadian mental health," said Hughes. "Most of the one-in-five Canadians who suffer, and their families too, are afraid to talk about the disease. That means they won't get the help they need. That has to change, and I'm proud to support Bell Let's Talk Day to get the conversation started."