Beyond the Scoreboard: Leveraging Sports Platforms to Destigmatize Mental Health

Julie Weitzner: You’ll be speaking at the upcoming ANA Media Conference. “Love, Your Mind” taps into the cultural power of sports to drive mental health action. What was the strategic unlock that helped your team turn high-attention game-day environments into genuine behavior change moments?

DJ Perera: Sports represent a unique place in the hearts and minds of the American public. We saw this clearly in 2024 when we first partnered with 11 professional sports leagues and organizations to share their mental health rituals with fans nationwide. We learned that when athletes share their own mental health practices, it normalizes the conversation, inspiring others to do the same. That’s why we’ve extended our “Love, Your Mind” mental health campaign to harness the influence and cultural reach of sports.

Now, we’ve scaled our approach to bring in even more partners and incorporate in-game activations, athlete celebrations, national PSAs, amplification from media partners and leagues, and more. Our most recent debut of the “Love, Your Mind” Playbook in November represents a powerful coalition of 17 professional athletes, together with key media partners and top brands, as part of a multi-year initiative to encourage people to make a game plan for their mental health.

There’s something for everyone in the world of sport. The game, the fandom, the camaraderie. By showing up in these highly engaged environments, we are able to bring attention to mental health in an organic way for the communities who are already so leaned in.

Weitzner: How do you break through in today’s crowded sports media landscape, where fans are inundated with content 24/7? What made “Love, Your Mind” stand out?

Perera: We take a lot of pride in convening best-in-class partners to tackle the toughest of issues at the Ad Council, and that’s one of many factors that helps “Love, Your Mind” stand out. To reach audiences with the resources they need, we knew we had to collaborate with the leaders in the sports ecosystem who share our mission of changing the conversation around mental health.

By working with trusted voices from the world of sports, we’ve been able to integrate seamlessly into a familiar ecosystem for fans with a new message that’s truly for them. From champion athletes to brand partners like Ally Financial, AT&T, Bank of America, Delta Air Lines and JPMorgan Chase, the campaign has started showing up at marquee sporting events and garnering the support of major media partners.

In October for example, Ally Financial sponsored a custom "Love, Your Mind" car wrap and helmet for NASCAR driver Alex Bowman at the Las Vegas Speedway. They teased the new car reveal to fans on social media, and NBCUniversal broadcasters gave the partnership a shoutout during the race, encouraging viewers to check out the resources at LoveYourMindPlaybook.org.

We’re excited for even more impactful live sports moments like this one that bring together brands, athletes, and media to really break through with fans.

Weitzner: Unlike brand marketers who plan with commercial objectives, the Ad Council brings together media companies, platforms, agencies, and talent purely in service of social impact. Can you share how that unique vantage point, sitting at the intersection of public service, cross-industry collaboration, and donated media, shapes your approach to building campaigns?

Perera: For over 80 years, we’ve operated in this special place across industries and it’s that unique position that enables our ability to make a real impact. Our campaigns follow the data and insights to identify a need and then take a holistic approach to tackling complex issues, both from within our own organization and with the support of our generous partners on our Board of Directors and across the industry. The “Love, Your Mind” Playbook is a prime example of how instrumental that network of support can be in scaling our work in a strategic way.

There’s a huge network of catalysts behind the campaigns that everyone sees. From mental health and gun safety to wildfire prevention and skills-first hiring, our campaigns are fueled by more than donated media. The support of our advisors, creative agencies, philanthropists, corporate and tech partners give us the unique ability to address pressing issues beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. This 360° point of view is how we’re able to reach the American public effectively, and it’s how we’ll continue to drive impact for years to come.

Weitzner: Looking ahead, what innovative trends are you most excited about in the Media Industry?

Perera: GenAI has impacted how we operate in every way, and I’m eager to see the industry continue to evolve and meet the moment. Website traffic is dropping dramatically in the U.S. as zero-click searches and AI summaries become the standard. With AI becoming the new discovery layer, marketers and brands will need to optimize not only for search engines, but also for conversational AI ecosystems.

New insights from the Ad Council Research Institute and Google found that nearly two-thirds of Americans use generative AI for personal or work tasks. There’s so much to learn as we look to reach people where they are, especially in uncovering how to leverage the latest innovations for social impact.

Weitzner: What advice do you have for media professionals as they navigate these uncertain times?

Perera: Generative AI has triggered an unusually fast and broad wave of innovation across almost all industries. My advice for media professionals is to stay curious and adaptable, rethink historical ways of working, and invest in experimentation and upskilling.

Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.

Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friends.
The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.org/MyersBizNet.