On World Mental Health Day, top creators take over Times Square to battle burnout

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and a group of prominent creators is making sure that their experiences are both seen and heard. A billboard in Times Square is promoting the mission of the Creators 4 Mental Health initiative, drawing attention to pervasive issues like burnout.

The creators featured on the scrolling billboard include Jordan Howlett (pictured above), Haley Kalil, Dhar Mann, Collins Key, Nia Sioux, Zachery Dereniowski, Dale Moss, and Creators 4 Mental Health Founder Shira Lazar. The campaign, which launched the day before World Mental Health Day, aims to tackle broad stigmas while sharing resources and sparking an open conversation about the mental and emotional support creators need.

The decision to use a public display to broadcast that message follows recent trends in the creator industry. Billboards have become status symbols for high achievers on the internet, with Times Square serving as a common location for those installations. Creators 4 Mental Health joined forces with Influential — the influencer marketing firm acquired by Publicis Groupe last year — and out-of-home ad company OUTFRONT Media

to bring its billboard to life.

Creators have long identified burnout as a boogeyman that contributes to deleterious mental health effects. Seven years after Elle Mills made waves by telling her viewers she was “burnt out at 19,” progress has been made, but new challenges have arisen as well. Thanks to factors like fast-paced feeds and the rise of generative AI, 78% of influencers have reported suffering from burnout.

Creators 4 Mental Health was established to provide solutions for digital denizens who are feeling the flames of burnout. “Creators are the gig workers of the digital age, and their mental health must be taken seriously,” Lazar said in a statement. “Openness is the first step to removing stigma. When creators share their experiences, it not only strengthens this community but also gives their audiences permission to talk about mental health in their own lives.”

Creators 4 Mental Health plans to follow up its Times Square billboard with multiple activations, including events in D.C. and Atlanta. The organization is also planning to release a sweeping study on creator mental health in partnership with Opus, BeReal, Statusphere, and Social Currant.

Those efforts will continue to shine light on the roadblocks that hold creators back. In the meantime, those interested in keeping up with World Mental Health Day activities can visit the official website of the World Health Organization.