Depression and mental illness is something that carries quite a stigma around the world.

It’s an isolating condition, but being surrounded by people who have at least a basic understanding of it can play a large role in helping those who suffer.

While awareness is slowly growing, this basic, empathetic understanding is lacking.

We wanted to create a direct mailer that not only raises awareness but, to a small degree, lets an ordinary person experience and understand what depression might be like.

To do this, we took the trend of adult colouring books – used to relieve stress – and gave the experience an unexpected twist.

“Everyday Colours” is an adult colouring book full of beautiful, abstract illustrations representing happy scenarios in our everyday lives.

We sent it out as a direct mailer along with a pack of ordinary lead pencils that we disguised as colour pencils.

“Everyday Colours” looks like any other colouring book.

But it has one important difference…

Thanks to our specially disguised pencils, try as you might, it is impossible to add colour. Instead of bright blues and greens, burnt oranges and reds, all that spills on to the page is grey.

“Everyday Colours” turns the simplest of experiences in our lives into a metaphor that we all can understand, allowing us to build a foundation of understanding and empathy on common ground, and hopefully bring colour back into the lives of those living with depression.

Everyday Colours was used as a tool for managing depression in clinics.