2727 for MIND

Mind provide advice and support whilst also promoting understanding of mental health problems. Supporting students’ mental health is a growing priority for the charity - 27% of those studying at university report mental health problems. In March 2021 Mind launched our 27 27 event; Our goal was to take participation, engagement and fundraising to the next level by encouraging students to tackle the challenge of running 27 miles in 27 days. Social media was integral. We took the bold decision to forgo professional designers and only use student created content. With agency partners JAA we ran a highly target optimised recruitment campaign to match this content to student audiences. 27 27 was promoted with a real edge of authenticity. Social was also pivotal in how we raised funds. We integrated the Strava running app into fundraising pages, used GIFs to promote individual efforts and built a connected 27 27 virtual community. Despite pandemic restrictions, over 10,000 students signed up. We achieved a 417% increase in registrations and 77% rise in average fundraising compared to 2020. Overall, 27 27 saw £1,072,813 raised – the first time a Mind product generated over £1 million and a staggering 838% increase in income from 2020.