“While working online brings new opportunities, it also poses new challenges. The Background Blindspot is just the beginning as we continue to look out for one another in a new digital world.”
- Sabina Read, Clinical Psychologist for Background Blindspot.
BACKGROUND BLINDSPOT.
Background
The Background Blindspot is a direct response to the world's longest Covid-19 lockdown occurring in Melbourne, Australia. What started as a small experiment over Microsoft Teams to normalise mental health and neurodiversity conversations, transformed into an eye-opening revelation for the nation that will linger for years to come.
Journey
For World Mental Health Day 2021, on a $0 media budget, Microsoft launched the Background Blindspot—a covert, digital stunt on Microsoft Teams that confirms we are all blinkered when it comes to noticing mental health struggles online. Guided by psychologist Sabina Read, the direct campaign was similar to a piece of live digital theatre—running for 180 hours of video calls with a select number of participants who were in on the secret. Over five days, our experiment volunteers were coached to alter their backgrounds and behaviours to reveal Australia’s systemic mental health blindspot. Would you have noticed the signs?
“A world-first social experiment revealed a side to the pandemic mental health crisis unfolding in front of our very eyes. A digital awareness campaign called Background Blindspot proved just how easy it is to overlook the clues someone is not coping.”
— Channel 7, Australia
Agency
Performics Mercerbell Sydney
Team
Executive Creative Director: Vaughan Townsend
Senior Copywriter: Samantha Cable
Senior Art Director: Kostia Liakhov
Studio Manager: Gene Stapleton
Production Director: Maria Galang
Chief Executive Officer: Jason Tonelli
Group Customer Partner: Virginia Tong
Senior Account Director: Jodie Allen
Senior Account Manager: Jessica Silver
Head of Analytics: Ruby Menezes
Analytics Manager: Francesca Rostirolla
UX Lead: James Winchester
Communications Manager: Jill Antonio