Breaking the Silence and the Stigma
In a Super Bowl ad slot typically reserved for beer, trucks, and fast food, something quietly revolutionary happened this year. Amid the blitz of celebrity cameos and multimillion-dollar marketing stunts, a 30-second video created by a Cincinnati-area teenager aired to a national audience. Its message? Not touchdowns or taglines — but mental health awareness.
This wasn’t some polished Hollywood production. It was part of Breaking the Silence: Teens Fighting Suicide, a local campaign powered by the Joe Burrow Foundation, FOX19, Crossroads Church, and Interact for Health, designed to elevate youth voices and bring visibility to the silent epidemic affecting Gen Z. In a country where suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens, the campaign didn’t just break the silence — it shattered it.
A Call to Speak Out, Not Shut Down
The campaign invited high school students across the Cincinnati region to answer one potent question:
"What do you wish the adults in your life knew about mental health?"
More than 60 teens responded, each submitting a raw, 30-second video that laid bare the anxieties, stigmas, and frustrations of growing up in an age of relentless pressure and digital noise. Their answers weren’t filtered or softened. They spoke about panic attacks, the fear of judgment, the exhaustion of pretending everything is fine, and the plea to simply be heard.
From these submissions, three finalists were chosen, with the public casting more than 4,000 votes to determine the winning video — “The Field” — which ultimately aired during Super Bowl LIX on FOX.
More Than a Contest — A Movement
While the Super Bowl PSA was the campaign’s centerpiece, the message didn’t stop there. As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the coalition is now spotlighting additional powerful entries through an official YouTube playlist. These short films, all student-created, tackle mental health from a variety of perspectives — anxiety, depression, stress, identity, and the longing for empathetic adults.
Here are a few must-watch PSAs from the campaign:
Each entry is less than a minute long but packs the emotional weight of a full-length documentary. They reflect what textbooks and policies often miss — the emotional truth of being a teenager in 2025.
From Burrow to the Bleachers
That this initiative is backed by Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, is no coincidence. Burrow has long been vocal about social issues, from food insecurity to mental health. Through the Joe Burrow Foundation, his commitment to tackling systemic challenges facing youth has added both visibility and legitimacy to causes that often get sidelined.
But perhaps the most effective element of this campaign isn’t the celebrity involvement — it’s the empowerment of students to control the narrative. In a time when adults often talk at teens about mental health, Breaking the Silence asks a simple but radical question:
“What if we listened instead?”
A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
The timing of this campaign couldn’t be more urgent. Mental Health America reports that over 60% of youth with major depression don’t receive any mental health treatment. The CDC has noted that teen girls, in particular, are facing record levels of sadness and suicidal thoughts. Meanwhile, the advent of social media, academic stress, and post-pandemic isolation continues to compound the mental strain.
That's why every PSA in the official playlist includes a call to action — to reach out, to speak up, to use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides free, confidential support via phone or text 24/7.
Learn more and access support at FOX19’s Breaking the Silence hub
Observed every May, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a national initiative since 1949, but recent years have brought it renewed relevance. Organizations like NAMI and Mental Health America are using this year’s themes — “Take the Moment” and “Healing Together” — to promote community care, early intervention, and youth advocacy. The Breaking the Silence campaign embodies all three.
This isn’t just about talking — it’s about action. It’s about understanding that teens today don’t want platitudes. They want presence. They don’t need to be fixed; they need to be heard.
So if you’re an adult reading this, consider the question posed by these student filmmakers:
What do you wish the teens in your life knew about you — and are you giving them the space to tell you what they need in return?
If you haven’t watched the PSAs yet, start here:
Breaking the Silence YouTube Playlist
And if you or someone you know is struggling, don’t wait.
Text or call 988. Help is here.