MTV MENTAL HEALTH SUMMITÂ
Better Together: Mental Health Storytelling Summit
As a part of the Mental Health is Health initiative, MTV joined forces with a powerful coalition of entertainment companies and mental health experts to create the Better Together: Mental Health Storytelling Summit. The three-day virtual summit ran from May 3-5 and was designed to spark an industry-wide movement to expand portrayals of mental health in entertainment that encourage viewers to speak up and get help.
VIVA created the entire digital and broadcast ecosystem for the summit to educate celebrity talent, creators, and performers about how Hollywood portrayals of mental health can affect people and our society at large.
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Highlights
Expert Digital & Broadcast Production
VIVA created the entire digital and broadcast ecosystem, including building the microsite, working with the talent, and producing the content—all within two short months. Our team collaborated with MTV Entertainment and executive producer Ri-Karlo Handy. With a vision and production timeline, we secured celebrity contributors, including Trevor Noah, Anthony Anderson, Gayle King, H.E.R., Margaret Cho, Charlamagne tha God, Lisa Ling, Chuck Lorre, and Tig Notaro, among many others.
Production of 565 Minutes of Content
Over three days, attendees learned about the nuances of telling stories about mental health. With six polls, direct and group chats, surveys, and live Q&A, attendees could participate, soak in knowledge, and make connections in the industry. They described the event as “inspirational” because they could feel “authenticity” as “they were not lectures [rather] they were real people.” Post-event, attendees received an industry guide for producing responsible portrayals of mental health issues.
Outcome
- VIVA Studios produced 565 minutes of engaging content, connecting viewers with practical resources to begin taking action to improve their mental health.
- VIVA managed 37 influential speakers in various locations, uniting industry leaders in solidarity to galvanize an industry-wide movement to expand portrayals of mental health that encourage viewers to speak up and get help.
- The broadcast touched thousands, empowering viewers to take control of their emotional well-being.
- The Summit achieved widespread media coverage in Hollywood and far beyond.
"The mental health crisis impacts people of all demographics and geographies, and as content creators, it’s our responsibility to use our assets—through our stories, platforms and reach—to take action."
—Bob Bakish, CEO of ViacomCBS
 in Mental Health is Health