How McCann made employee wellbeing commercially credible in a budget-conscious industry
In the advertising industry, budgets are tight, scrutiny is high, and every investment has to earn its place. Wellbeing is no exception.
Alice, People lead at McCann — one of the world's leading creative agencies — has been a MYNDUP advocate for several years. Not because she has to be. Because she genuinely believes it makes commercial sense. And because she's seen what happens when people actually use it.
Why McCann moved beyond their existing wellbeing provision
McCann's journey to MYNDUP began with a personal recommendation: a contact at Savills had brought MYNDUP in there and couldn't stop talking about it. Before that, they'd looked at other options. One provider stood out for the wrong reasons: the offering was limited and the price tag was significant.
"[Alternative provider] was just so expensive and you didn't get a lot for it. It felt like a bit of an experiment."
MYNDUP offered something different. A model that made commercial sense. Something Alice could feel confident recommending. Not just as a wellbeing initiative, but as genuine value for money in a sector where every pound is accounted for.
What does offering MYNDUP say about your organisation?
When we asked Alice what offering MYNDUP says about McCann as an organisation, her answer was honest and direct.
"With an EAP, it always feels like you're just palming people off. 'Here's the EAP' as a record of sending support on paper. But the reality is, I don't think you're really going to get the support you need from an EAP."
MYNDUP changes that equation. Alice describes the confidence that comes from being able to recommend something she actually believes in — something that feels personal rather than faceless, and that employees actually engage with.
"Being able to offer MYNDUP means we can say: this is really good, people use it and feel the benefits of it. It's nice to be able to offer that and feel like you're actually giving people support, not just palming them off."
The business case for proper mental health support
Alice can say with confidence that the team feels better equipped. They can support people and feel genuinely good about the support they're offering. And in an industry where retaining talent is everything, that matters.
"We've genuinely helped people in the agency who would have been off sick otherwise. And that's a nice feeling."
MYNDUP has also become part of how McCann presents itself to prospective employees — a visible indicator of values, and of the kind of agency they want to be.
What she'd say to someone on the fence
For Alice, the case for MYNDUP comes down to one thing: commercial credibility.
"This makes commercial sense. It's the best value for money in a space that's really effective and has good results. I've never felt uncomfortable recommending it."
In an industry where budgets fluctuate and every investment is scrutinised, that's not a small thing. It's the difference between a benefit that exists on paper and one that genuinely earns its place.