Mpower’s #UnpackTheBaggage campaign takes a familiar response ‘I am fine’ and asks what it might be hiding. Developed with Schbang, the mental health awareness campaign looks at the emotions people carry without necessarily sharing them with others.
The campaign uses the metaphor of baggage to explore how people can learn to conceal difficult feelings as they grow up. Rather than treating emotional distress as something that is always visible, the film draws attention to the distance between how someone appears on the outside and what they may be experiencing internally.
What Is Happening In The Campaign?
At the centre of #UnpackTheBaggage is an everyday interaction: someone says they are fine, and the conversation moves on. Mpower uses this familiar exchange to question how often people accept the answer without considering whether it reflects how the person actually feels.
The baggage metaphor gives shape to emotions that are difficult to articulate. As people grow older, they may become accustomed to carrying these feelings privately, making it harder to acknowledge them or ask for support.
The campaign encourages viewers to look beyond routine responses and make room for more honest conversations about emotional well-being.
Why The ‘I Am Fine’ Works
The campaign builds its message around a phrase that rarely attracts attention in ordinary conversation. ‘I am fine’ can be a genuine answer, but it can also end an interaction before someone has the chance to explain what they are feeling.
That ambiguity makes it a recognisable entry point for a conversation about emotional distress.
Instead of relying only on direct messaging about mental health, Mpower and Schbang use the baggage metaphor to connect an abstract experience with something familiar. The campaign’s central question is not simply whether people are struggling, but whether those around them are looking beyond the answers they hear.
