Objective

The Live Beyond campaign, in collaboration with California’s Health and Human Services Agency and the Office of the California Surgeon General, was designed to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress, particularly among vulnerable youth and their caregivers. Recognizing that ACEs disproportionately affect BIPOC communities and those facing systemic barriers, the campaign aimed to build a network of trusted partners to extend its reach and resonate deeply with its target audiences.

Our goal was to engage at-risk youth and caregivers in meaningful conversations about ACEs, foster understanding of toxic stress, and inspire action. We sought to leverage the influence of partners like Valkyrae, the Drew League, and Refinery29 to create authentic connections with youth and their caregivers, delivering our message through platforms and communities they trust.

Through these partnerships, the campaign aimed to:

1. Increase awareness of ACEs and toxic stress.
2. Encourage help-seeking behaviors among youth and caregivers.
3. Provide culturally relevant, evidence-based tools for healing.
4. Inspire resilience by showing that individuals are not defined by their trauma.

By collaborating with partners who had strong ties to our target communities, we were able to reach audiences that traditional media channels may not have been able to effectively engage.

Strategy

The Live Beyond campaign relied heavily on strategic partnerships to maximize engagement with at-risk youth, caregivers, and impacted communities across California. Each partner brought unique strengths that allowed us to reach diverse audiences and deliver our message of resilience in an impactful and culturally relevant way.

Key Partnerships:

1. Drew League: This iconic pro-am basketball league, based in South Central LA, has been a safe haven for youth affected by gang violence and trauma. By partnering with the Drew League, we were able to engage directly with at-risk youth and their caregivers. Every Saturday, our youth advisors set up booths at the games, offering resources on ACEs and mental wellness. The Drew League partnership was particularly effective because it provided an organic setting where healing conversations could happen naturally.
2. Valkyrae: Valkyrae, a Filipino-American gamer and one of the most-followed female streamers on YouTube, connected us with Gen Z and millennial audiences. She shared her personal story of overcoming adversity and toxic stress, resonating deeply with her followers, many of whom turned to gaming as a coping mechanism during the pandemic. Valkyrae’s vulnerability and authenticity in discussing her personal struggles helped make conversations about mental health more relatable to her community.
3. Refinery29 & Good Game Network: Partnering with Refinery29’s Good Game Network allowed us to engage BIPOC women and LGBTQ+ gamers through a Twitch conversation with thought leader Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first Surgeon General. This partnership enabled us to blend mental health messaging with gaming culture, highlighting the intersection of identity, mental wellness, and resilience. Our messaging and livestream resonated with these audiences by speaking directly to their lived experiences in relatable ways.
4. iHeartRadio – Conversations in Cars: Our collaboration with iHeartRadio’s “Conversations in Cars” was designed to reach youth and parents during key moments of their day—morning and afternoon commutes. This radio campaign created opportunities for families to engage in discussions about ACEs and toxic stress while commuting to and from school, helping normalize mental health conversations in everyday life.

Challenges and Unique Features: One of the biggest challenges we faced was ensuring that our messaging resonated with diverse communities in a way that was both authentic and impactful. By working closely with our partners, we were able to overcome this by tailoring our content and delivery to the specific needs of each audience. For example, Valkyrae’s content was highly personal and reflective on her own childhood, which allowed her to engage her audience in a meaningful way, while the Drew League activation provided a direct touchpoint with youth who may not have been reached through traditional media.

The grassroots nature of our community engagement, especially with the Drew League and youth advisory members, made this campaign unique. It wasn’t just about delivering a message; it was about fostering real conversations and providing tools for healing within the communities that needed it most.

Results

The Live Beyond campaign exceeded its goals by leveraging partnerships to engage hard-to-reach communities, increase awareness of ACEs and toxic stress, and inspire action.

Key results include:

• 818 million total paid media impressions across youth, caregivers, and impacted communities.
• 1.8 million impressions from the Drew League partnership, directly engaging at-risk youth, community caregivers, and mentors, surpassing our initial goals by 80%.
• 244 million hyper-targeted out-of-home impressions on high school and college campuses, cinemas, Live Nation venues, pediatrician offices, and low-income neighborhoods.
• 125 million audio impressions through iHeartRadio, reaching youth and caregivers during commutes, with targeted messages around ACEs and mental health.
• 214 million social media impressions across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit.
• 392,382 total views on Twitch for the Good Game interview with the former California Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, during Mental Health Month, representing one of the highest levels of live engagement via stream for the campaign.

These partnerships allowed us to engage audiences that are often underserved by public health campaigns, foster meaningful discussions around mental health, and provide tangible resources for healing. Our ability to exceed impression targets and generate deep community engagement made the Live Beyond campaign a success in both reach and impact.

Media