This isn’t just about wellness. It’s about brand relevance
Stress isn’t just a cultural trend — it’s a performance risk. Cognitive overload, multitasking, and nonstop content exposure are making it harder for brands to connect, stick, and convert.
- A peer-reviewed study in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that excessive advertising doesn’t just mute messages — it erases them
- A study from the University of Swat found that excessive advertising can diminish brand awareness and recall
- Research by Neurons Inc. revealed that cognitive overload can result in negative brand experiences
The result? More creative, more budget, more pressure, and a lot less impact — unless you change the strategy.
Be the Alternative to the Noise
In a culture of doomscrolling and digital fatigue, the brands that break through aren’t louder. They’re clearer.
To show up well during Stress Awareness Month (and beyond), consider these strategies:
- Simplify your message. Strip away anything that feels like marketing for marketing’s sake. Say what matters — and say it cleanly.
- Reduce friction. If your ad, landing page, or content experience takes work to understand, you’re adding to the problem.
- Dial down urgency. Not every CTA needs to shout. Calm, confident direction stands out in a sea of high-pressure sales tactics.
- Use your platform to pause. Consider how Calm ran 30 seconds of silence during election night. That wasn’t fluff — it was strategy. Could your brand offer a moment of peace?
Brands That Are Guiding the Way
Calm has mastered the art of showing up without shouting. Its campaign during the 2024 U.S. election — a 30-second primetime ad featuring nothing but silence — was a bold, brand-aligned acknowledgment of cultural stress.
Spotify’s “Take a Beat” curated playlists that encourage mindful pauses during the day — integrating directly into user behavior rather than trying to change it.
Maybelline’s “Brave Together” campaign tackles anxiety and depression head-on, offering resources and peer support. It’s not a feel-good add-on — it’s a meaningful extension of their brand’s connection to self-expression and confidence.
These aren’t just feel-good moments. They’re performance plays. Because when a brand earns trust in a high-stress environment, that affinity lasts.
Your Move: Make the Experience Lighter
This isn’t about rebranding your company as a wellness brand. It’s about recognizing the role your brand plays in someone’s day — and making sure it’s a positive one.
Audit your message. Adjust your tone. Streamline your UX.
If you’re not part of the solution, you’re probably just more noise.
We get it — marketing is high-pressure. But your media strategy doesn’t have to be. At Acronym, we help brands cut through the chaos with performance strategies that feel effortless, not overwhelming. If you’re looking for a stress-free path to real results, let’s talk.
