Updated version of the previous version

1. Always Keep Fighting
By Connor
Crampton

2. What it
is/Purpose
• Always Keep Fighting is a campaign set up by Supernatural and Gilmore Girls
star Jared Padalecki to help raise awareness for people that are dealing with
depression and anxiety or any other mental health illnesses. It was set up after
Jared had revealed his own battle with depression and he wanted to help as
many people as possible after losing close friends to depression and suicide.
• It first started as a simple t-shirt campaign but has since grown into a massive
phenomenon, with Padalecki’s co-stars Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins also
starting up their own campaign to help those suffering mental health issues. This
being the Crisis Support Network.

3. How it started
• In March 2015, Jared launched the first t-shirt campaign featuring the slogan of “Always
Keep Fighting”. The profits from the shirts went to several charities including; To Write Love
On Her Arms (TWLOA), The Wounded Warrior Project and A.I.R Attitudes In Reverse –
Student Suicide Prevention - Mental Health.
• After the t-shirt campaign was launched, for the fans that purchased the t-shirts Jared
randomly selected a few of them and sent them gifts to show his appreciation and support.
During this time a movement was started on Twitter where fans were buying the shirts for
people who couldn’t afford them or those that are struggling with mental health issues.

4. Always Keep Fighting at Comic Con 2015
• During the Supernatural Panel at Comic Con 2015 a fan organized a thank-you gesture for
Jared after all of his work for AKF. The fan, Anne Kim was able to do this with support from
Random Acts and she was able to produce 1200 candles to give out to people while they
were lining up, every one of these candles had the Anti-Possession symbol on hem while
also having a message.
• When the fans in attendance started to ask questions, the candles were lit up and held
high. A candle and a note were passes onto Jared who was visibly moved by this, the
actions of the fans gained media coverage by several websites.

5. The effects of Always Keep Fighting
• When the campaign was launched it’s original purpose was to help motivate Jared
Padalecki after he revealed that he was battling depression and anxiety in 2015, but now it
has evolved into helping others that may be suffering from anxiety and depression or other
metal illnesses.
• During the first campaign AKF raised $250,000 for TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms),
on the first anniversary of AKF Jared launched a t-shirt campaign to raise funds for both
The Pack Fund (created by Jensen and Jared) and The SPNFamily Crisis Support
Network (created by Misha and Jensen), with the theme being “Love yourself first”. “Loving
yourself is vital in the fight against mental health problems, so I want to encourage y’all to
focus on loving yourself first…each and every one of you is worthy”.

6. Merchandise for AKF

7. Research
links
• https://ulsterprstudentblog.com/2018/01/18/always-keep-fighting-an-effective-mental-
health-pr-campaign/
• http://variety.com/2015/tv/people-news/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting-
depression-suicide-twloha-1201451708/
• http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Always_Keep_Fighting
• https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/
• https://www.interventionservicesinc.com/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/
• https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/people/2015/03/16/jared-padalecki-talks-
depression-always-keep-fighting/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sb7WGw0Beo