A growing number of senior figures within the advertising industry are acknowledging that the state of their employee's mental health matters. The conversation surrounding work life balance is fast being eclipsed by a renewed focus on mental wellbeing and a more holistic approach to blending work and life.

It was a point that Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at P&G made on a panel in Cannes yesterday moderated by the TV host Gayle King. Pritchard was announcing P&G's latest partnership with Thrive Global, part of P&G's more expansive plan to examine people's mental health. As Pritchard explained: "There is a mental health epidemic; we need to talk about it...Work life balance doesn't work; it's work life integration."

This recognition of an employee's mental health and wellbeing is something that Kindred's latest work with the Film & Television Charity seeks to address. The campaign sees the launch of the first industry-wide study into mental wellbeing, The Looking Glass. The research aims to understand the mental wellbeing of the UK's film, TV and cinema workforce, and subsequently to work out how they can be better supported by the industry.

As part of the long-term campaign, the Charity teamed up with the Fawnbrake Collective and film director Tim Pope to create 'Smashed?' a powerful visual depiction of what everyday life can feel like when you're struggling to either break into the industry or simply stay afloat once in it. 

The film, and the wider communications surrounding it, have been designed to highlight the survey and invite the industry's workforce to open up about their experiences and share them online.

The glitz and the glamour of TV and film easily hides the industry's challenging working practices. The reality is that no matter the glamour on the surface, it's what lies beneath that really matters. A survey such as this is a vital step in the shift towards more honest conversations surrounding mental wellbeing and working cultures.