Man Therapy wants men to ‘Shoot the Sh*t’ in its latest suicide prevention campaign

The 60-second video, dubbed ‘Shoot the Sh*t,’ takes a lighthearted approach on addressing mental health among men, and specifically, gun owners.

The ad features Dr. Rich Mahogany, a therapist character Man Therapy developed to connect with men, going to a shooting range to take a mental health assessment test. Instead of answering the test verbally or in writing, Mahogany shoots bullets at the answers — aiming to encourage men who have historically struggled to seek help for stress, anxiety, depression and other issues.

Originally launched in 2012 in Colorado, Man Therapy has three main goals: to break down the stigma around men’s mental health, boost help-seeking behavior among men, and drive down suicide ideation rates, according to Cactus CEO Joe Conrad.

The platform was started amid increasing suicide rates in the overall U.S. population, which have continued to rise since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Men have a suicide rate that’s four times higher than women, accounting for 80% of suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“[Suicide is] definitely on the scale of epidemic,” Conrad said. “Not only in the western U.S., where it’s particularly bad, but in the whole country and also around the world. Working age men between 25 to 54 are taking their own life at exceedingly greater numbers.”

Man Therapy drives men to the website, where it provides evidence-based information from a clinical psychologist about mental health issues. It also offers users recommendations and resources to “address whatever it is you’re wrestling with,” Conrad said. The ultimate goal is to direct people to therapists based on their state and location.

Conrad emphasized that when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention, getting a headstart and intervening early before crisis hits is the most effective avenue.

“The best defense is a good defense. So we realized if we wanted to affect the suicide rate, we couldn’t wait until a man was in crisis,” he explained.

Since launching, Man Therapy has seen results backed up by data. Last year, the CDC published a study that examined the impact of online mental health interventions, including Man Therapy, on depression and suicide ideation. It found that people who used Man Therapy saw an improvement in depression and suicidal ideation.

Giving the platform a face

Much of the platform revolves around Rich Mahogany, who has been a mainstay of the brand for over a decade and plays a variety of stereotypically male roles with a touch of dark humor.

“The creative concept was a fictional therapist who we wanted to feel like a real guy — like that uncle, coach, mentor, or like Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec,” Conrad said. “We wanted to create somebody that was universally appealing and likeable to all men.”

The campaign pushes the envelope, poking fun at stereotypical men and cliche things about them, Conrad added. “But we think the end justifies the means. We’re getting guys laughing and leaning in, and that’s what matters.”

The latest iteration, ‘Shoot the Sh*t,’ targets specifically gun-owning men — aiming to boost mental health conversations among the population that is also closest to firearms in a non-judgmental way.

“We thought, ‘How would Rich Mahogany do this?’” Conrad said. “He always befriends people, and you don’t want to point your finger at gun owners. You want to say, ‘Hey, we get you. We understand you. Mental health is for you too.’”

Man Therapy has expanded to a variety of states and personalised mental health intervention approaches for more specific communities among men — from Spanish speakers to fishermen and construction workers. There’s even a new section dedicated to gambling addiction.

The next creative frontier is developing a strategy for highlighting the power of women — including wives, mothers and sisters — in men’s lives.

“We’re just hoping to keep building in influence and impact,” Conrad said.