Believe Their Pain

Creative & Design Direction | Concept | Design | Content development

Shesays x JCDecaux

☻ 11M impressions, 1.7M+ combined total reach across creative, HR & business-focused media (as of 09/2023) | 250 billboards seen by 6M+ people across the UK ☻

Believe Their Pain billboard above a busy road

Deliverables

• OOH billboards
• Infographic
• Social
• Campaign webpage
• PR article
• HR toolkit
• Linkedin live chat

SheSays partnered with JCDecaux to launch 'Believe Their Pain'—raising awareness of hidden illnesses women and non-binary people endure.
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Phase 1 of the campaign features 250 UK-wide OOH billboards using statistics and quotes like 'You don't look sick.' to highlight the misconception about hidden conditions.

The billboards are supported by social content and a dedicated resources page for those with a hidden illness or disability, as well as employers to use.

Campaign page ➝

Believe Their Pain campaign posters, including "But you don't look sick"

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WHY HIDDEN PAIN?
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Research conducted by SheSays found that 83% of women and non-binary people hide their pain—62% fear workplace judgment, 52% believe it limits opportunities. One in two women feel their pain was dismissed because of their gender.

It can be hard to advocate for yourself when you face potential discrimination. So we want everyone else to become visible allies for an invisible issue.

THE RESULT:

• Over 11M impressions for a combined value of £173K
• Press coverage: a combined total of 1,753,108 UVM
• LinkedIn partnership: LinkedIn Live event with UK and EU audience, featured in LinkedIn's Get Hired newsletter (2M recipients).

Believe Their Pain billboard on a city street as a cyclist passes

Statistic: 83% of women and non-binary employees hide their pain

Reasons why they hide their pain: 62% fear of judgement, 52% fear it will limit opportunities, 43% it's easier to get through the day

Pie chart of hidden pain in the community: mental health conditions 51%, neurodiverse conditions 40%

Statistic: 55% of survey participants have had hidden pain since childhood

Social post: women are affected by invisible chronic illness at higher rates than men

Social post: observers viewed female patients' pain as less intense and more likely to benefit from psychotherapy, not medication

Infographic

Believe Their Pain billboard above a skate park

Email signature template: "I am affected by an invisible disability"

Believe Their Pain resources list for the campaign page

Social post: "Have you seen our campaign in the wild?" with a roadside billboard

Social post with the NABS support line number for navigating health challenges at work

"Have you tried yoga?" poster: you can't see their pain, but you can stop dismissing it

Instagram posts

Believe Their Pain billboard above a station entrance

BelieveTheirSite website as shown on a Macbook. The laptop sits on a green chair, in front of a blue velvet curtain

Landing page with resources

Hand holding a phone showing a Believe Their Pain LinkedIn post

LEADERS TOOLKIT

Target audience:
• CEOs
• HR Professionals
• Team Leaders
• DEI Champions

The toolkit (phase 2) offers leaders actionable tools: bite-sized equity concepts, hands-on empathy activities, and resources, including speakers, articles, and case studies.

Download the toolkit ➝

Person reading the Leaders Toolkit on a tablet

Pages from the Believe Their Pain Leaders Toolkit presentation

Leaders Toolkit cover: your guide to supporting those with hidden health conditions at work

Leaders Toolkit section: "Learn by listening"

Leaders Toolkit section: "Fight the bias"

Leaders Toolkit section: "Flexibility is reasonable"

Leaders Toolkit section: "It's not all on you"

Leaders Toolkit call to action: "Help us change the workplace"

Instagram posts

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