The organization Mind runs Sweden's national suicide helpline 90101 and works for mental well-being for all. In 2020, 1441 people took their own life in Sweden. 70% were men. But of the callers to the national suicide helpline, only 30% were men. In many male communities, there is a silence culture that makes it difficult to talk about dark periods in life. And in society as a whole, mental health issues and suicide is a highly taboo topic. Mind wanted to shed light on the issue, spark debate about men's mental health and increase donations.

Time to Talk is a wrist watch that changes color based on the mood of the wearer. The heat-reactive dial responds to the user's body temperature, which can indicate how the wearer is feeling. The aim of the product was to highlight the importance of conversation and lower the threshold for talking about how we feel. A new and unexpected way to call attention to a massive problem in a target group that is difficult to reach.

With Time To Talk, we combined an old technology from the 90s "mood rings" with an old symbol of masculinity – and created something completely new. A tool that both lowered the threshold for conversations for the individual user, and created broad discussions in society. For every watch sold, €20 went to Mind's work to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness.

Reaching young men with information about mental illness and suicide is difficult. With the activation Time To Talk, we combined an innovative product, an unexpected collaboration with Triwa and the artist Erik Lundin, and found a way to reach the target group.

Since the beginning of the 1900s, the wrist watch has been a male status symbol. Something that has been reinforced by modern pop culture. Some even call it "the only male jewelry”. We wanted to use this symbol for a new purpose; helping men to open up. A classic symbol of masculinity, to challenge norms of masculinity.

We wanted to create a tool that would function as a reminder to talk about difficulties in life – both on an individual and a societal level. We created the timepiece together with watch manufacturer Triwa. The design was classical, with clean elements and a leather strap, but with added contemporary details.

The watch was launched a few weeks before Christmas – the time of year when Mind’s helpline receives the most calls. To increase attention around the release, we collaborated with Erik Lundin, one of Sweden's most acclaimed hip hop artists. The activation was communicated via SoMe posts in both Mind's, Triwa's and Erik Lundin's channels, PR, online film and on Minds' website.

The limited edition collection consisted of 500 timepieces, selling for €165 on Triwa's online store. From the sales, €20 went to Mind, resulting in a 132% increase in donations compared to the year before.

The campaign saw wide coverage in both traditional and social media, sparking an important debate around a neglected and taboo topic. The story was mentioned in Sweden’s biggest morning show on TV4 as well as relevant Swedish male-dominated lifestyle press, including Dopest, Kingsize and Tjock. The watch also appeared in some of the world's largest design and fashion media, such as Trendhunter and Design Milk – with a total range of over 12 million. The number of donations increased by 132% and on Facebook and Instagram, and Mind gained more than three times as many new followers compared to the same period last year.