VA and the Ad Council Redefine Bravery in New Suicide Prevention PSAs

Latest Effort for “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” Campaign Encourages Veterans to Lean on Their Loved Ones and Seek Help When Struggling, Including a New PSA Featuring the War And Treaty’s Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter

Find resources at VA.gov/REACH

WASHINGTON, DC, (September 4, 2024) – As Suicide Prevention Month begins, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Ad Council today launched new public service advertisements (PSAs) for their national campaign: “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” The initiative, which started in 2021, urges Veterans who are facing challenges to visit VA.gov/REACH, a comprehensive website that helps them access the many resources available.

The new PSA, “The Bravest Thing,” acknowledges that it can be hard for Veterans to reach out if they’re struggling – but in the eyes of their loved ones, seeking help is an act of bravery. By featuring Veterans alongside their friends and family, the film encourages Veterans to open up if they’re struggling and reminds everyone that they can play a role in supporting Veterans in their lives.

“When a Veteran is ready to reach out, VA is ready to provide services and support. One of the bravest things Veterans can do is ask for help,” said Dr. Matthew Miller, Executive Director, VA Office of Suicide Prevention. “These new messages are powerful and compassionate additions to the Don’t Wait. Reach Out. campaign that features the voices of loved ones, underscoring the vital role that family and friends play in supporting Veterans. We all play a role in suicide prevention and this call to action engages community and connections, which are crucial in preventing Veteran suicide. Through this campaign, we can spread hope that Veterans, and all of us, can overcome crises and difficult life challenges.”

6,392 Veterans lost their lives to suicide in 2021, according to the latest data from the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. This data emphasizes the call to action for continued efforts in suicide prevention.

"This moving new work shows the depth of the bonds that Veterans share with their friends and family," said Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. "We hope to remind Veterans and their loved ones how important and brave it is to reach out for support when things feel overwhelming."

Veterans, it's important and takes bravery to reach out for support when you need it. New PSAs from @DeptVetAffairs & @AdCouncil encourage Veterans to reach out before their problems become overwhelming. #VetsReachOut #SPM24  Tweet

The PSAs were created pro bono by advertising agency GSD&M and directed by writer and filmmaker Andre Muir in partnership with SMUGGLER. The new works will appear nationwide across donated media space and time, including broadcast, digital, social, out-of-home and print. Major media platforms have supported this effort since it began, such as FOX, Meta, Reddit, Twitch, Yahoo! and YouTube. The PSAs will also be distributed across the Ad Council’s network of more than 1,850 broadcast TV stations throughout the country.

"These powerful stories reveal how the loved ones of Veterans often become their strongest supporters, motivating them to seek help," said Bo Bradbury, SVP and managing director at GSD&M. "With 'The Bravest Thing,' we aim to ensure that both Veterans and their loved ones use the available resources and feel supported throughout their journey."

The “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” campaign has also partnered with Grammy-nominated duo The War And Treaty, which consists of singer-songwriters Veteran Michael Trotter Jr. and his wife Tanya Trotter. In a video launching today, the couple shares how Tanya supported Michael in seeking help when he experienced a moment of crisis, inspiring their song “Five More Minutes.”

The “Don’t Wait. Reach Out.” campaign is part of VA’s 10-year strategy to end Veteran suicide through a comprehensive, public health approach, combining community prevention and clinical intervention strategies. The campaign is also part of the Ad Council’s Mental Health Initiative, a multi-year effort to change social norms and create a society that is more open, accepting and proactive when it comes to mental health.

Since first launching in October 2021, the campaign has garnered roughly $81 million in donated media support, resulting in more than 4.5 million visits to VA.gov/REACH, a site designed by communications firm Reingold. The website also provides social media materials, developed by Rigaud Global Company, a Veteran-owned marketing communications agency, that everyone can share to raise awareness about Veteran suicide prevention during September and beyond.

If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.

Reporters covering this issue can download VA’s Safe Messaging Best Practices fact sheet or visit www.ReportingOnSuicide.org for important guidance on how to communicate about suicide.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit’s founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the overdose crisis, hate and bias and other critical issues, the Ad Council’s national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day.

To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, and view campaign creative on YouTube.

About the Ad Council’s Mental Health Initiative
In November 2022, the Ad Council launched a new Mental Health Initiative, uniting brands, marketers, media companies and nonprofits to address the mental health crisis throughout the U.S. at scale. With a founding investment from the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, the multi-year initiative aims to change social norms and create a society that is more open, accepting and proactive when it comes to mental health. To get involved in this effort or find resources if you’re struggling with your mental health or know someone who needs help, visit adcouncil.org/mental-health.

About the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Suicide Prevention
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Suicide Prevention (OSP) engages a public health approach to suicide prevention, integrating evidenced-based community and clinical interventions, strategic planning, program operations, program evaluation, and crisis services through the Veterans Crisis Line. Suicide Prevention is VA’s top clinical priority and OSP’s actions are built on a foundation of hope, with the belief that suicide is preventable and that everyone plays a role. OSP consistently moves forward key suicide prevention initiatives using a whole-of-government and whole-of-Nation approach, collaborating with other federal agencies, Veterans Service Organizations, community partners, non-profit organizations, and others across the Nation to address the scope of the issue at scale.

About GSD&M
Founded in 1971, GSD&M is an ideas-driven, fully integrated agency that has been building some of the world’s most iconic brands for the past 50 years. Headquartered in the music-loving, tech-driven, creative hub that is Austin, we exist to build First & Only brands—fueled by ideas that are the first of their kind for the only brands that can pull them off. These ideas stand out and distinguish brands in a sea of sameness and stretch marketing dollars by earning media, getting attention, and building devotion.

Our approach centers around finding and connecting with like-minded brands and teams that share a passion for the products, services and experiences that make a real difference in consumers’ lives. We are an agency team who believes that when you pay the price to really understand the issues and challenges facing a brand, the best ideas are created by doing things together that have never been done before.

Media Contacts:
The Ad Council
Ben Dorf
[email protected]

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Bobbi Hauptmann
[email protected]