LG’s “Life’s Good” tagline is well known, but few people can describe what “Life’s Good” really means. Two years ago, LG started a journey to redefine “Life’s Good” through social purpose, turning a marketing strapline into an ethos with the potential to measurably impact the business and society. Mike Pepperman, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Relations shares how LG identified its social purpose, aligned with a relevant and authentic social issue, and developed its Experience Happiness initiative. Through Experience Happiness, LG aims to equip 5.5 million youth with the knowledge and skills to achieve Sustainable Happiness.

When school is in session, teens are the most stressed group in the U.S. — nearly one-third of teens struggle with anxiety, the most common mental health disorder in the U.S. And, rates of mental health among teens are growing. Rapidly.

Unfortunately, a stigma remains around the issue of mental health in young people. While many nonprofit and government organizations are working to address the issue, corporate support is lacking. It’s understandable – conversations about mental health are hard, and often focus on elements that are challenging to craft a brand narrative around, like suicide hotlines and rehabilitation programs.

For these reasons, LG was thoughtful in its approach to the issue of youth mental health, leaning on research, data, and evidence-based partners to find a “white space” the company was best equipped to address. Further, the approach needed to align with and support LG’s “Life’s Good” ethos in an authentic manner, without diminishing the brand. LG discovered an opportunity to empower and enable young people to learn Sustainable Happiness skills on their path to better mental health.

The company set a bold but achievable goal: to bring Sustainable Happiness skills to 5.5 million youth in the U.S. over five years. In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how LG identified its social purpose and created a flexible, built-to-last program: