As male depression gains broader public attention and young women adopt a ‘sad aesthetic’ online, brands are being challenged to consider how they communicate to an emotionally charged society. How can they help people in their quest for inner happiness and free expression?

Memes are part of the fabric of internet culture. But at a time when there’s such a disparity between reality and social media perfection, the subversion of the classic meme format reflects a shift in how people express themselves digitally. How do nihilist memes show the silver lining of sadness?

You can’t move for being told how to be happy. It’s a choice, claims Coca-Cola in its Choose Happiness campaign. It’s the truth, croons Pharrell in Happy. We can redesign our lives to achieve it, says Paul Dolan in Happiness by Design. But what does ‘being happy’ mean, and how do we achieve it?

The global cost of mental healthcare is set to exceed $6 trillion by 2030, and as dementia, depression and anxiety afflict a greater number of people, it’s unlikely that existing treatment options will be able to meet demand. Can tech, drugs or video games provide a viable alternative?