Instagram's most-liked photo used to send an important message about mental health
Instagram recently saw a new picture earn the title of "most-liked photo" on the platform — a picture of an egg with more than 50 million likes.
Since achieving that milestone, the egg's Instagram account, which has 10 million followers, has been posting photos showing the egg with a crack that got progressively bigger with each post. The stunt came to head on Sunday, when a video was released during the Super Bowl that showed the egg breaking apart under the pressure of its viral fame — a message about mental health.
"The pressure of social media is getting to me," the egg says in the video. "If you're struggling, too, talk to someone."
The video then has a link to talkingegg.info which has a list of international mental health resources. Canadian resources are:
This is an interesting use of viral fame and I doubt anyone would have guessed the account would promote mental health when it started. Today, almost every news organization is talking about the egg and its message of mental health awareness on social media.
Did you like the egg? What do you think about the big reveal?
Great idea/initiative!
So many conflicted feelings about this, but I'm glad the egg beat Kylie Jenner.
I think it is so sad that images and "stories" of people who struggle with mental health (and substance use/addiction) are not enough to attract "attention" or start conversations. Real "Stories"-Real Lives don't seem to captivate or move society to stop the discrimination, judgement, and stigma; or just plain indifference. I think it is sad that a great marketing gimmick is what is needed to bring awareness. I feel like society has gone numb. Or even worse- "they" never gave a damn about us.
A short personal disclosure for context:
"Both my late son and I struggled with substance use and mental health issues. Pete died Dec 23 2001, at age 25, from an accidental mixed drug overdose. Oxycontin medication mixed with psychiatric medication. That is how he ‘technically died’....but in fact he died from loss of hope and the pervasive feeling that the world did not care about him. That he was an ‘addict’. That it was his fault. No matter what I did, I could not love my son back to wellness or restore his dignity. In large part because I did not have any self worth myself; that had been stripped from me too, an indelible stain that was left over from when I too was considered a useless addict. We were not wanted. We were considered to be hard to manage. We were dismissed as non-compliant because of our relapses. We were blamed, shamed and often told that others who really wanted to get better needed the space that we were taking up. That is how it felt.....and on top of all of that....society dismissed us as drug using misfits who ‘choose that lifestyle’."
....................... That was never enough to start a conversation. We were ghosts.
It seems an egg that is cracking under the pressure is more interesting.
(Having said all of that from my emotional response, I have to admit from my "marketing" mind that it is rather brilliant. I'm just sad that it takes brilliant marketing to bring awareness and conversation to mental health and substance use/addiction)
You summed up my conflicted thoughts [@mention:309227366772673999]--brilliant marketing move, but a sad subtext.
This is a pretty good critique of all things egg by one of favourite journalists, Tom Scocca: https://hmmdaily.com/2019/02/0...lso-outside-the-egg/
Great critique. That is why I am so glad that Simon posted this. It seems to have started some "awareness" about "depth" and what is relative and/or considered important.