Eye of the Storm
Challenge
Massive & Peace Region Victim Service tackles the stigmas attached to opioid misuse in Northern Alberta. Being situated in the heart of Gastown on Vancouver’s downtown eastside means we see the effects of opioid misuse on a daily––sometimes hourly––basis. It’s something we spend a considerable amount of time talking about, and as a result, it has become an issue we care deeply about. Perhaps not surprisingly, when Alberta’s Peace Regional Victim Services approached us to help promote a series of discussions to address opioid misuse in northern Alberta, we were eager to lend our talents. In close partnership with the Alberta Provincial Government, Alberta Health Services, the RCMP, and other local organizations, this series of talks aims to tackle the many misconceptions surrounding opioid misuse and to increase awareness of the support available to those closest to it.
Solution
The Many Faces of Opioid Misuse Like all projects, success for this campaign meant rolling up our sleeves and speaking to those involved on the ground. We spoke to the RCMP, members of the Peace Regional Victim Services, and people with lived experience dealing with the opioid crisis. Throughout our conversations, a few things became clear: Opioid misuse affects everyone. Ethnicity, age, gender, age, religion and economic status… this is a crisis that spans all members of society. This campaign needed to speak to the breadth of those affected by opioids. A disease of despair. Opioid addiction is isolating, both for the users themselves and for those that love them. We needed to address this sense of isolation in a compelling, relatable way. Lack of knowledge of resources. While the impact of opioid misuse is far-reaching, very few people are aware of the help available to them.
Results
The Far-Reaching Effects of Opioids Compassion. Resources. Community. These are the weapons with which you attack a disease intent on dividing and isolating. We knew our creative needed to represent the many faces of this problem, allowing its audience to see themselves, regardless of age, sex, race or income. Opioid misuse isn’t a ‘them’ problem. It affects everyone. In contrast, the lone hiker represents the isolating nature of the problem, speaking to the mental and psychological toll addiction takes on those involved. Three primary colours were introduced to further communicate the complexity of the issue, and to hint at the idea that we as humans exist on a spectrum. Information surrounding the presentations was kept short and concise. Key statistics were paired with contextual imagery to split the page’s content. Finally, a Local Resources section was created, with a CTA encouraging people to reach out for help. In addition to the landing page, Massive was responsible for setting up the campaign’s social channels and creating posters and flyers to promote the events.
Massive Media
Massive is a branding and experience design agency for companies with ambition. We partner with solution-focused companies to achieve clarity, messaging and the technologies needed to thrive in the wild. Whether the end product is a new brand, digital advertising campaign, website or digital product, our approach centres on deep cultural...
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