1. The Future of Okay to Say
Thank you.
I plan to go cover three things with this presentation:
Our current plans for 2018, quickly;
The recommendations of the Boston Consulting Group on where to go with Okay to Say™; and
A new messaging dimension for Okay to Say™. For the time being, it’s called “Bob and Alice” and that will be explained later on.
I don’t intend to do a history of Okay to Say™ because I believe everyone on the call is familiar with what it is and its core message that it is okay to acknowledge you or someone near you may need help.
I’d like to thank Sharon Butterworth and Larry Harlan, who were on the internal review team for the Boston Consulting Group work. They deserve a tremendous amount of thanks for doing this and they helped produce a very solid set of recommendations.
The Future of Okay to Say
MMHPI Board Strategic Retreat
Tuesday, March 6, 2018

2. Okay to Say™ 2018
Introduction and digital + social launch of new spokespeople (Jan-Feb). Houston event with The Hackett Center (March 8). Digital advertising ramp up (late Feb/early March). Cease local events. Focus on one or two large-scale events. Support for local initiatives remains available (Jan). Implementation of Boston Consulting Group recommendations, blending of the “Bob and Alice” messaging, and engaging national alliances (Feb).
Talk from the slide.

3. Boston consulting group recommendations
At the October board meeting I explained that we had engaged the Boston Consulting Group—I may call them BCG as I keep going—to assess the program as it stands and then make recommendations about a path ahead, as well as address the question, “Should we take Okay to Say™ to a national audience?”
They have done that. First of all, they were such a talented group to work with. I have been through an impossible amount of studies and reviews and assessments in my lifetime and I can say that BCG was one of if not the best. They provided almost too much information—all good and all useable. The Institute received its money’s worth by at least a factor of 12.
What follows is the most condensed version possible. It stays away from the process of the study and focuses on the key results.
While I don’t have a slide that addresses it specifically, BCG recommended that we do not take Okay to Say™ to a national scale in the sense that we go all in tomorrow. They did, however, recommend that Okay to Say™ establish alliances with some national campaigns to help take us to where we need to go right now.
Let’s move to the next slide.

4. Okay to Say™ has quickly built an impressive set of assets
Memorable, versatile, and intuitive name
Engaging brand identity
Wide partnership network
Okay to Say is catchy and can be used in many creative approaches to messaging
Professionally managed marketing campaign with polished collateral and strong brand awareness in Texas
70+ organizations interested in collaboration
Here are the core strengths BCG found with Okay to Say™ from left to right.
It has a memorable, catchy, and intuitive name.
We can thank Tom Luce for that. He’s got a way with catchy, memorable phrases. (Like “Okay to Say,” “Luce Women,” and “Coby, you’re fired.”)
But let me point out something underneath that. BCG surveyed 2000 people—with representation from all 50 states—and learned that Okay to Say™ is recognized by seven percent of Texans. Within those results, nationally, Okay to Say™ awareness also rates a little bit ahead of the Campaign to Change Direction and Bring Change to Mind campaigns, two organizations we will talk about a little later on.
It has an engaging brand identity.
And it has a wide partnership network within Texas.
All of these strengths are a testament, in large part, to the work of the firm we use, LDWW. They put a lot of heart and soul and talent and time into this.
Let’s go to the next slide.
Source: BCG mental health survey, November 2017; BCG analysis

5. Okay to Say™ continues to support MMHPI’s policy objectives
Improved mental health services in Texas
Objectives
Change attitudes
Change actions
Change policy
Synergies
Credibility
Likeability
Achievability
Evidence
Partner relationships
Influencers
Partner organizations
BCG addressed a very important question about a public awareness campaign and our mission. It’s a legitimate question: Does Okay to Say™ further MMHPI’s work, which is a policy institute?
That might not be natural connection to make.
BCG concluded it did further our work and they expressed it with this visual. It has a bit of a Chutes and Ladders feel to it. I hope it is readable, but this is how you distill it.
Large scale change doesn’t occur unless there is public awareness.
The Institute’s vision is for Texas to be the national leader in treating people with mental health needs. We do that through a number of channels, the biggest being changes in policy. We also work with local communities and governments to do that. One of the Board’s current strategic priorities is changing public perception and Okay to Say™ is the statewide public conversation starter. There’s nothing better out there.
Okay to Say™ is an engagement vehicle for communities and organizations interested in changing the perception of mental health treatment, it takes a tough and complex subject and makes it friendly and approachable, and that in turn not only informs the public, it informs influencers.
It’s also a been a great way to introduce MMHPI into a community (Amarillo, Sherman-Denison, Southeast Texas) and it is a great add on once we’ve been there (El Paso, Houston). About the only real criticism we had with Engage and Excel last year is that we didn’t have more that featured Okay to Say™.
Okay to Say™ is to the Institute what a football team is to a university.
Next slide.
Decision makers
Stories of constituents
Actions of constituents
General public
Schools
Businesses

6. Big opportunity for Okay to Say™ is a call to action to break the "invisible barrier" of mental health
Person suffering
Member of "inner circle"
Alice
Bob
75%
60%
Okay to Say™ doesn’t have a “what’s next.” This is “what’s next.”
I mentioned Bob and Alice earlier and here they are.
BCG conducted extensive consumer surveying and identified in that where the “white space” opportunity is. “White space” means where there isn’t much going on in public messaging.
It’s here.
Alice tends to seek treatment when someone close to her helps her realize there’s an issue. The challenge is that helper, called Bob here, doesn’t know how to get involved appropriately.
Okay to Say is going to start targeting the Bobs and to do that we have to do some retooling of the campaign.
Let’s be clear: this will not be called Bob and Alice publicly. We’ll work with LDWW on something that conveys a “Help the Helper” kind of message.
Next slide.
Of those with mental health issues say family or friends are largest influence on their progress
Do not play a role with friends or family because of not knowing if or how to be involved
Source: BCG mental health survey, November 2017; BCG analysis

7. The mental health "journey"
Targeting the "inner circle" is an effective way to encourage people to take action
The mental health "journey"
Recognizing the problem
Recognizing the need to take action
Identifying options
Taking action
Receiving help or treatment
Improving
Sharing my story
72% of people with mental health issues say that their emotional state helped them identify their concerns and the need to take action
62% of people with mental health issues say that the impact of their behavior on others finally inspired them to take action
This one is interesting. I really have to applaud Boston’s work here.
In their survey, they went deeper with those who self-reported having had a mental illness and parents of children who have or had mental illness. Using the information they provided, they mapped the journey someone takes. This is outstanding. (Discuss it from left to right.)
72%: Okay to Say™ to date has aimed for recognizing the need and the need to take personal action.
62%: We plan to turn our attention to the opportunity between “identifying information” and “taking action.” That’s where Bobs come in.
Let’s go to the final slide.
Critical for "inner circles" to engage with sufferers to take action
Source: BCG mental health survey, November 2017; BCG analysis

8. Alliances and partnerships serve different strategic needs
Relationships with national-level mental health campaigns and organizations
To help provide or co-brand materials and resources that OTS chooses not to develop in-house
To collaborate and share best practices on campaign development
Relationships with local- or regional-level mental health stakeholders within Texas
To help in the dissemination and implementation of Okay to Say
Can also be leveraged for broader policy goals of MMHPI
Definition
Strategic purpose
We have a whole lot of work ahead of us to introduce the Bob and Alice concept into Okay to Say™. We won’t just turn on a switch and go to something very different. We will glide path it in. LDWW is hard at work. I am assembling an internal team to figure out what the appropriate messaging is to “the Bobs” out there and I’ve begun forming alliances with the two key national campaigns to tap into their messaging assets.
Key National Alliance Opportunities

9. questions
-Fin-

10. Consumer insights (survey, interviews) Stakeholder interviews
Appendix A
BCG research identified opportunities to push Okay to Say™ to be even more effective
A person's "inner circle" is critical to inspire taking action to help their condition – this is a key opportunity for Okay to Say
Consumer insights (survey, interviews)
Need to define and align on the mission before going to larger scale
Stakeholder interviews
Important to have a clear, differentiated message in a crowded campaign landscape
Program benchmarking
Must have resources available before going to scale – e.g., tools and resources to facilitate conversations
Expert
interviews
Partners view OTS positively but want more engagement, expanded tools and materials, and opportunities to connect with each other
Partner survey