Anxiety Explained
For the first time, when you search for the meaning of the word "anxiety" in the Michaelis online dictionary, you'll also find real-life stories from people who deal with anxiety every day, taken from the comments on the Post em Branco Instagram content.
Challenge
Over the last years, searches for anxiety and mental health content have tripled in Brazil. According to the World Health Organization, Brazil ranks as the most anxious country in the world. In 2021 alone, there were over 13.5 million searches for "anxiety," yet most top results are scientific and lack empathy. Meanwhile, the Michaelis Dictionary, Brazil's largest, faces a different reality.
With the rise of search engines like Google, dictionary use has drastically declined, despite its credibility and expert-curated content. The challenge is: how can we provide more human-centric mental health content while also reigniting interest in the Michaelis Dictionary, a tool many now view as obsolete?
Idea
Post em Branco, a platform dedicated to breaking the taboos around anxiety, has teamed up with Michaelis, Brazilâs largest dictionary brand, to bring a human touch to the definition of anxiety. From over 500 user comments on Post em Brancoâs content, we curated the most impactful and incorporated them into the dictionary's entry for "anxiety," revealing the raw reality behind the condition.
Now, when users search for "anxiety," theyâll find not only the technical definition, an explanation with orthography, plurals, and synonymsâyou find yourself. You discover real stories from people who have experienced the disorder. This unique collab, from social media to a dictionary, has opened an unexpected and innovative conversation channel for learning about anxiety, encouraging a more empathetic understanding of the condition and highlighting the importance of mental health treatment. Because some words are too important to be left without genuine human feelings.
Endorsed by Mental Health Professionals
With in-depth research conducted over three months alongside renowned psychoanalyst Ălvaro Moraes and psychiatrist Dr. Isabela Baldasso, we reviewed over 500 comments and messages from Post em Brancoâs content.
To better connect with our audience, we carefully selected the most common experiences related to anxiety disordersâthose that professionals hear daily from their patientsâto integrate into the Michaelis Dictionary definition of "anxiety." This transformed the entry into a more authentic and compassionate reflection of real experiences.
PS: All the messages featured in the âAnxiety Explainedâ project were spontaneously posted or sent to the Post em Branco Instagram profile. However, we have chosen to protect the identity of each author by preserving their anonymity, withholding names and profile images.
â This initiative adds a human touch to the Michaelis Dictionary by sharing real, unedited stories in an informative and creative way. It opens up a new channel for mental health information.â
Talita Jacomo, Marketing of Editora Melhoramentos
Results
For the first time, Michaelis dictionary reached the top 3 in Google search relevance for two consecutive days during the campaign, without paid media. Only the word "anxiety" accounted for 12% of unique traffic on www.michaelis.com.br. User interaction on Post em Branco and Michaelis Instagram profiles increased by 27%, showing strong engagement with the content.
The real stories featured in the dictionary entry resonated with influencers from various fields, leading to organic shares on their social channels. Major media outlets in Brazil also picked up the campaign's message, helping spread PR and amplifying the reach of this impactful initiative.
This initiative does NOT replace a medical consultation or appropriate professional guidance. If you experience anxiety symptoms, please seek help from a mental health specialist immediately.
