Pause
Built a mental health brand people actually loved by doing what no one else would — making them laugh.
Client
Pause
Industry
Mental Health
Services
Story & Strategy, Brand & Content
Year
2021-2025
Result
70+ NPS
The landscape
Mental health came with stigma, and the last thing people wanted was another earnest, overly-precious meditation app. Meanwhile the category was drowning in the same visual clichés — pastels, nature, soft whispers, and gentle hands resting on knees.
The insight
Dark humour is how a lot of people actually deal with hard feelings. Instead of the expected "it's okay to not be okay" approach, we built Pause's brand voice around self-deprecating humour, honest emotional admission, and a tone that felt like talking to your sharpest friend — the one who makes you laugh about the thing you've been avoiding.
The outcome
When an entire category competes on sincerity, the funniest voice in the room wins. Pause launched with a 70+ NPS and a brand that didn't feel like a brand — it felt like a group chat. Users didn't just use the app, they shared it — because the content was worth sharing independent of the product.