Life's better IRL – Phil Harvey

Life’s better IRL

While social media undoubtedly helps bring people and causes together, our increasing use of it has led to a rise in mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. This is compounded by the algorithms employed by some platforms, which encourage and amplify antisocial behaviour like hate speech and extreme political bias in order to keep users engaged.

‘Life’s better IRL’ is a project encouraging people to reassess their relationship with social media, its effect on society and on their own health and wellbeing.

The pared back type-driven designs are inspired by pre-internet era 1980s advertising, which combined with the calm pastel palette evokes the slower pace of a simpler time and offers visual respite from the garish bombardment of a typical social feed.

The campaign simply allows viewers a calm mental space in which to stop and think, with no call to action or URL – it’s all about spending more time IRL.

Outdoor activations at places with great potential for real life social connections, such as care homes, public parks and pubs, help to nudge people into more meaningful interactions that they may be missing out on.

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