SEAT and Campaign Against Living Miserably Team Up

In an effort to get men talking about their emotions, SEAT and suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) have collaborated to create ‘The Language of Listening’ mental health campaign.

Comprising a three-part video series, the campaign shows People Just Do Nothing actor, Hugo Chegwin, imparting meaningful advice to two friends struggling to discuss how they feel.

The videos address the stigma surrounding men’s mental health through the use of light-hearted comedy, highlighting why it is so important to listen and talk to friends when they are struggling.

‘The Language of Listening’ is the latest collaboration between SEAT and CALM as the car brand and suicide prevention charity approach the three-year mark of their successful partnership.

‘The Language of Listening’ comes in response to a record number of calls and webchats to CALM’s helpline services throughout the pandemic. With many people more isolated than ever before and suffering in silence, there has never been a greater need to check in on those around you and see how they are.

Due to their intimate enclosed space and promoting less eye contact between passenger and driver, cars have been found to be one of the best places to have meaningful conversations. This makes the latest SEAT Ateca the perfect backdrop to the collaborative videos.

The series follows two friends, one of whom is clearly struggling. After both men seemingly ignore the elephant in the car (room), Hugo Chegwin’s character steps in to prompt conversation between the two. Each video has its own subtly different message, best explained by the episode titles: ‘Listen Up’, ‘Just Ask’ and ‘No Distractions’.

‘The Language of Listening’ follows on from the 2019 collaborative ‘Grow a Pair’ campaign. To encourage men to listen to the people they care about most, SEAT and CALM erected a mural in central London, with the slogan ‘Grow a Pair’ placed between two enormous ears. The eye-catching campaign received widespread coverage and was touted as a success, but also firmly established a platform from which SEAT and CALM could launch further initiatives.

‘The Language of Listening’ video series is the natural next step to promoting the ‘Grow a Pair’ message as SEAT and CALM continue their response to the effects of the pandemic.

Andy McGregor, SEAT UK’s marketing boss, said: “SEAT’s previous collaborations with CALM have been very successful but there is still considerable work to be done to reinforce the importance of conversations about mental health.

“The pandemic has been a struggle for many, so now we really need to strengthen our commitment to the cause and act on it. At SEAT, we have taken this seriously. Every member of the management team, as well as first line managers, has completed a four-day mental health training programme to ensure that they can provide support when it is needed. We want to show that we can also ‘grow a pair’.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with CALM and Hugo to create ‘The Language of Listening’, once again reiterating this all-important message.”

To view the ‘The Language of Listening’ series, follow SEAT’s social media channels or visit the SEAT UK website which plays host to all three videos.