Why Isentia is proud to support R U OK?    

hello • 12 September 2018













Sean Smith, Chief Commercial Officer at Isentia on how they help R U OK? amplify, refine and report on their impact:

Isentia is proud to support and work with suicide prevention charity R U OK? – the brand is strong and the message reaches all corners of the country, teaching us skills and encouraging us to reach out to anyone who may be struggling and start what could be a life-changing conversation.


Chances are we all know someone – a friend or workmate – who’s been impacted by loss, grief, loneliness, mental health problems or relationships breakdowns.


So, we’re proud to do whatever we can to ensure R U OK? communicates effectively and better understands the media landscape, to help drive their impact and messaging.


How do you help R U OK? measure their impact and understand the effectiveness, reach and engagement with the campaign?


Isentia partners with R U OK? by providing a comprehensive media intelligence service. This includes tracking all the media content and data (traditional and social) to help give R U OK? the complete picture of both their cause, and mental health as a broader topic.


We use our insights team to analyse the coverage and help make sense of it all and essentially identify opportunities for the R U OK? team to be even more effective. For example, we will analyse messaging and the impact of their ambassadors, spokespeople and sponsorship partners.


Why do you think this is important?


Media is a key driver in educating and increasing awareness around suicide prevention. To be effective in media and digital strategies, R U OK? need to understand the impact of their articles and press releases, and how the media respond to them, to get the best result.


Coverage reporting allows the team at R U OK? to not only stay informed but also make changes to their messaging or understand new topic areas that are being discussed in the media – specifically around mental health and suicide prevention. In short, we help R U OK? ensure they can use media channels in the most effective way to encourage people to get involved and support someone that maybe be struggling with the challenges of the life.


This year, R U OK? is sending the message that every day is R U OK? Day and the day to start a conversation that could change a life. How is Isentia helping us monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this message?

Like any client we work with, we want to ensure that we measure and track what is important to R U OK?. We do this by working closely with their team to understand what the 2018 campaign’s key objectives are, and then working to frame their service to best support this.


Our first step is to monitor all mentions of R U OK? – Isentia’s monitoring schedule is second to none with thousands of online sources, all social media networks, over 1,500 print media and more than 300 TV/Radio channels. Once we collect that data, we then look at how the media is presenting R U OK? to see if it’s reflecting the messaging the way that it’s intended.


Our analysis helps R U OK? understand message penetration year on year. If needed, the reporting on this can be granular – delving right down to the media outlet, journalist, a specific region or demographic, and how key ambassadors or spokespeople are performing. All insights reports include charting and data visualisations that are easy-to-use and tell a clear story. R U OK? then use this to inform strategy and provide benchmarking reports.


As a long-term R U OK? supporter, how does Isentia integrate the message in to their workplace?


Like many workplaces, Isentia recognises that mental health and life’s struggles are real issues that can't be ignored. As an employer of over 400 Australians (amongst a larger workforce across Asia Pacific) we have a responsibility to make sure Isentia employees are supported any time they need it.


We care about the health and wellbeing of our team members and offer many benefits and resources to help our people and their families lead healthy lives, physically and mentally. We encourage leaders and team members to reach out if they think that someone if they see changes in someone’s behaviour or if they seem out of sorts, and to then take steps to support that person – be it through our confidential and free Employee Assistance Program (EAP), flexible working arrangements, taking time off, or a review of their workload. We also profile health and wellbeing articles on our intranet and in our company newsletter to keep the message alive throughout the year.


How will Isentia be celebrating R U OK? Day this year?


On campaign day, R U OK? Ambassador Craig Mack is visiting Isentia’s Sydney office to speak to staff about the importance of four step conversations and managing work-life balance. We will be live-streaming this session across all of our Australia and New Zealand offices to ensure everyone is connected and able to participate in the conversation – followed by locally hosted morning teas.


Team members will also raise awareness by contributing and sharing content across our internal channels such as the intranet, and through our externally-facing social networks – reinforcing the message that every day is R U OK? Day.


Want to learn more about Isentia? Simply visit isentia.com






Announcement from the CEO, Katherine Newton

by Katherine Newton • 16 October 2025
After ten years of teamwork, partnerships, growth, and countless conversations, I will be stepping down as CEO from 1 December 2025. It has been an extraordinary privilege to contribute to the growth of this movement and to witness meaningful change before my eyes. Gavin Larkin founded R U OK? because he believed conversation has the power to change lives. One seemingly simple question, when asked with genuine intent and care, can start a meaningful and sometimes complex conversation. And that’s what Gavin wanted. For people to look beyond responses of “I’m fine” or “All good” and ask, “Are you really OK?”. The notion of going deeper with conversations, of asking a second time, of trusting our guts and moving past our hesitation - is being grasped and moving beyond one day to any day. Whilst saying “G’day how are you?” will always be a greeting - we can do more. When Gavin lost his father to suicide he wanted to try and protect other families from the pain his endured. He wanted to get people talking and having real chats about how they’re feeling with their mates, their family and their colleagues. In locker rooms, lunch rooms, and lounge rooms across the nation. But he approached it from a different angle. Gavin wanted all of us to have the confidence to support the people we care about who might be struggling with life. To make conversations a natural part of our behaviour, to openly show our signals of support. So as R U OK? generations continue to evolve, my chapter is coming to a close. How fortunate I am to have been part of the story. From hesitant glances during presentations in 2015 to queues of people waiting for a conversation in 2025. From yellow wigs in the office, to welcoming yellow-swathed Ambassadors to share their lived experience. From yellow coffee cups in a café, to yellow cars driving into communities nationwide. And yes, there’s been a few cupcakes along the way. Social change is happening, and we are all a part of it. No one organisation can prevent suicide, no one individual can save everyone - but the power of many can make a difference.
Michelle Heyman on the field.

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Matildas forward Michelle Heyman talks about how one of the most challenging transitions of her life became the most transformative, thanks to the support of her fiancée Christine.
Five R U OK? Community Ambassadors pose in park wearing black and yellow R U OK? t shirts

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