Overdose Campaign Case Study

Background

In 2018, 1541 people died of drug overdose in British Columbia.

That’s more than 4 deaths per day.

Chinese and South Asians were not immune. Overdose deaths in these ethnic communities were on the rise. The Government of British Columbia knew they had to change the conversations surrounding the opioid epidemic, and approached Captus Advertising for help.

The Problem

Research showed that in both Chinese and South Asian cultures, whenever there was a drug-related issue, families would keep quiet about the problem due to shame and denial. It was difficult to admit there was a problem at all. Negative judgment, stigma and stereotyping prevented drug users from getting the help they needed.

The Challenge

Captus Advertising was tasked by the Government Communications & Public Engagement agency (GCPE) to review and make recommendations for whether the existing English ads should be adapted for ethnic audiences. When it was clear that the English ads could not be adapted due to different cultural perceptions on drug abuse, we knew we had to come up with a brand new concept, one that demonstrated the importance of familial support. Since Asian cultures were very collectivistic and family-oriented, we took this insight into consideration and worked it into our new creative.

Plan/Execution

We conducted significant amounts of research, held focus groups and collaborated with health care practitioners and local community members to develop the final execution. The chosen concept, “Courageous Conversations”, encouraged victims to speak up and courageously fight against the stigma around drug overdose. It highlighted listening as the key to helping victims. Using this strong concept and impactful visuals, we collectively delivered an execution that resonated with ethnic communities. 

This integrated campaign ran in print (newspapers, magazines, posters), digital, OOH and radio, accumulating hundreds of thousands of impressions across BC. It saw 500,000+ impressions on Facebook alone!

Captus Advertising also lobbied major ethnic radio stations by explaining to them the severity of the drug overdose issue amongst ethnic communities. Leveraging our media relationships, we garnered a significant amount of free PR for the Government of British Columbia in the form of prime talk show airtime.

The “Courageous Conversations” Campaign was important because it tore down barriers and exposed realities and truths many were unwilling to face. It told the public that the overdose crisis was too serious to ignore. 

Impact

This integrated campaign raised awareness for the opioid crisis, encouraged victims to seek help, and connected them with valuable community resources.

Significant support from and partnerships with the GCPE and the Ministry of Addictions and Mental Health helped us all work as a team to achieve our common goal – to save lives. There were two phases for this campaign. Within a few months, by the time the second phase began, the deaths in British Columbia had already dropped from 4 people per day to 2.5 per day. 

Chinese and South Asians were not immune. Overdose deaths in these ethnic communities were on the rise. The Government of British Columbia knew they had to change the conversations surrounding the opioid epidemic, and approached Captus Advertising for help.

Written by: Jackie Quiring