Ad Council | US Department of Veterans Affairs

EFFIE AWARDS 2026
Bronze – Government and Public Service
The Hidden Power of Loved Ones: The Key to Impacting Veteran Suicide

Veterans face a higher risk of suicide than almost any other group yet many are reluctant to ask for help, and traditional campaigns rarely get through to them. So, we took a different approach and reached out to the people they trust most: their loved ones.

To kick off National Suicide Prevention Month, we partnered with Grammy-nominated country duo The War & Treaty to share a powerful message: asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's one of the bravest things a Veteran can do. By empowering family and friends to start these critical conversations, the campaign drove 6.9 million people to connect with the VA—doubling our impact from the previous year.

Ad Council US Department of Veterans Affairs | TV + Digital

Director: Andre Muir, Smuggler
Creatives: Blake Stephens, Ramsey Chandler, David Miller
Creative Leads: Michelle Grant, Dominque Monet
GCDs: Jeff Maki