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MediaCorp’s weekly current affairs show Talking Points has launched a public awareness campaign on mental health starring Sesame Street character Elmo.
To kick off the “#WhoIsCheckingIn” campaign, the Talking Point team reached out to Sesame Workshop, an educational nonprofit, to create a video message produced by Elmo.
The aim is for Elmo to be the first to “get” what’s happening to Singaporeans, sparking a national conversation and encouraging viewers to open up about their emotions through video messages.
In the heartwarming video, Elmo says: “Hello Singapore, Elmo is new here. How are you?”
The video then prompts users to share their feelings by commenting, directly messaging CNA Insider or splicing in a TikTok video.
Talking Point’s ‘#WhoIsCheckingIn’ campaign highlights the importance of checking in when it comes to supporting mental health.
This ties in with recent surveys, including a poll released this year by the Institute of Policy Studies, which have pointed to loneliness and social isolation faced by young Singaporeans.
The video message from Talking Point was inspired by a popular tweet sent through the Elmo’s X account earlier this year, in which Elmo asked his fans how they were doing.
“Elmo checking in! Is everyone ok?,” it read.
The post went viral, with 191.4 million views and 16,000 people responding to Elmo to confess their own struggles, including job losses, relationship breakdowns, mental health issues and more.
The tweet also sparked conversation about mental health issues in the U.S. To achieve the same effect in Singapore, the Talking Point team worked with Sesame Workshop to create a video to kick off their social media campaign and reinforce the importance of awareness.
When Talking Point launched the video on July 10, it enlisted the help of many of Mediacorp’s celebrities and influencers to spread and share the video’s message.
The team will also be running activities designed to highlight the importance of connecting with one another and explore ways to reduce loneliness and social isolation in the coming months.
So far, influencer Preeti Nair (or Preetipls) has posted a video in response to Elmo’s video, saying that she didn’t do well.
“I don’t know, Elmo, maybe you can relate because it’s been like my world has been on fire for the past month. But thanks for your attention,” she said.
“I don’t know if you can tell, but I’ve been at my lowest points. But it’s moments like this that remind me that I can pause and look at what’s going on in my life and remind myself to just breathe,” she said.
Nair added that it was a sign to check in with loved ones. “This is a sign from Elmo and I to check in with you to check in with yourself and your loved ones and that it’s okay to take a moment to process your emotions,” she wrote in the caption.
Since then, other celebrities and even politicians have appeared in the video such as Das DD, Shrey Bhargava, Steven Chia, Chan Chuan Sing, Wan Rizal, Rahayu Mahzam, Rachel Ong and many more.
Paya Lebar Shopping Centre and Raffles City Shopping Centre will also host the Confession for Sketch event. The Talking Point team will encourage young people to share a moment when they felt lonely in Singapore on camera while an artist sketches their portrait for five to ten minutes.
The campaign will culminate in an episode aired on October 10, World Mental Health Day.
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