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Crossreach launches first-ever TV ad campaign

The 'hidden epidemic' that is said to be postnatal depression has led one Scottish social care organisation to launch its first-ever TV advertising campaign.

CrossReach, the Social Care Council of the Church of Scotland, has employed the services of GMTV presenter Lorraine Kelly on a series of adverts running between now and the sixth of next month - designated Bluebell Day, postnatal depression awareness day - to highlight the fact that as many as one in five mums suffer the condition.

The 40-second advert features on stv in the east of Scotland and also Border TV, with an audio version on Radio Forth and Radio Borders. The high-profile campaign also includes bus and train advertising and 48-sheet posters.

CrossReach has been operating a Postnatal Depression Project for over 15 years, providing a counselling and support service to mums and their families.

The service originated in Edinburgh and has expanded to Glasgow, West Lothian and the Borders.

Says Kelly: “We have to make sure that when someone we love gives birth, we raise our eyes from the bundle of joy and check out whether the mother is actually more in need of our cuddles and support."

Adds Pam Taylor, head of fundraising, marketing and communications for CrossReach: “This is the first time that a council of the Church of Scotland has used such a media campaign to highlight its work. We worked very closely with advertising agency, Campaign HQ, to create an advert which was powerful enough to emphasis how serious and damaging postnatal depression can be."

Full story at Allmedia Scotland.