Ads Review - BetterHelp “Distant Friends”

This week I’m reviewing BetterHelp’s “Distant Friends” ad that has been running on YouTube recently. BetterHelp is an online portal that provides direct-to-consumer access to mental health services. This ad is relevant for our current moment, it’s tastefully written, and it’s shot well. I’ll break down why this ad works, and share a few ideas to make it better. 

Why this ad works 

In The Moment 

This ad works well because it’s relevant to our current moment. Within the first five seconds, the male character states that we’re in a global pandemic. There are references to home renovations and Zoom classes, and they’re siting a safe distance apart. The two chatty characters are using moderns cliches like, “I love that for you” as they talk over each other in a comically smug way. 

In the pandemic world we’re living in, ads that don’t show social distancing set off alarms in our brains now. Even while watching movies, I’ve found myself briefly questioning where the characters’ masks are–only to remember it was shot in 2015. This ad sets a familiar scene for many city-dwellers with a distanced park hangout. 

Tasteful 

Plenty of ads these days are in the moment, but they aren’t tasteful. We’ve all had our fill of major corporations offering a benevolent discount in these “unprecedented times.” (Looking at you State Farm). This ad recognizes COVID-19, but it doesn’t disrespect the viewer with fake empathy. BetterHelp has real empathy, and uses this ad to validate the stark contrast of experiences during the pandemic. 

Comedic Cinematography 

The cinematography in this piece is just funny. I’m a huge fan of ads that break the pattern by introducing something unexpected. In the beginning of this ad you think there are just two characters, but then they both look off-screen and reference Sam, the third character that you had no idea was there. Sam’s setup is obviously not as good as her friends’, as she’s wearing a drab green and sitting on the damp grass with no blanket. Then, in the middle of a snappy tempo, the ad slows downs, zooming in on Sam. You can see the emotional gears turning in Sam’s head. After pondering whether or not to open up to her friends, she gives it a shot by saying that she’s “okay.” Her friends miss the queue, and keep one upping each other. They obviously don’t get it. 

All three of these elements come together to create a relatable ad that is perfectly suited for people in this moment. Plenty of people have experienced something similar during the pandemic, and this ad just says “we get it.” 

Ideas for improvement

Quicker intro 

As it stands now, this ad doesn’t really pass the YouTube click test. There’s nothing super engaging in the first five seconds to stop someone from clicking “skip ad.” The opening line about being “in peak health” during the pandemic piqued my interest, but it likely won’t catch everyone. The trouble with this ad is that its humor and poignancy lies in the comedic timing of Sam’s introduction. 

One idea I have to make this ad more engaging off the bat would be to cut Sam’s face close-up and eye glances in the middle of the distant friends’ lines. This way, the contrast would be interspersed throughout the ad. The story loop would open, and viewers would wait to see how Sam’s strong contrast would end. 

All in all, this ad is very well done. It’s good to review good ads. It’s even better when the ads make the world a better place, which it seems like BetterHelp is doing.