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02 — Headspsce

Mental Tabs

Brains are terrible at taking breaks. Always running too many tabs at once, and saving its loudest questions for the quietest moments.

Headspace already talks to people dealing with racing minds, but most meditation apps focus on the solution. This campaign starts with the problem everyone recognizes: that feeling when your brain won't shut up. It's relatable before it's aspirational, which feels more honest than promising instant zen.

Two (uncomfortable) truths.

Insight #1

Our brains never stop working. Even during moments designed for peace, our minds spiral through scenarios. By the way, did you remember to lock the door?

Insight #2

Search histories are windows into our mental chaos. All those anxieties, random questions, and overthinking moments.

The Campaign

Make those uninvited thoughts visible as literal Google queries floating above people's heads.

Young man relaxing on couch with mental search queries floating overhead
Woman in bed with anxious search queries visualized above her head

Every execution follows the same formula: people in peaceful moments, with their chaotic mental searches made visible. It's the overthinking we all recognize, finally given form.

Early concept sketches showing people with floating search queries - the original napkin version of the Mental Tabs campaign

The glamorous part of the creative process.

Digital ad showing woman with coffee and laptop, mental search queries floating overhead

Close your mental tabs.

The tagline acknowledges that our brains work like overloaded browsers. Nothing can clear our cache entirely, but Headspace can help us close those tabs we don't need.