Regional Fentanyl Awareness Campaign

Background

In 2021, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) tasked Luceo with the development, production, and implementation of a PSA campaign to raise awareness of the risks and dangers associated with the changing drug supply. The goals of the campaign were twofold: educating residents of Allegheny County about fentanyl contamination in illicit street drugs as well as methods to stay safe, and explaining how individuals can take steps to help prevent overdoses in their communities.

Objective

• Increasing awareness and utilization of naloxone as an effective measure to prevent opioid overdoses in Allegheny County

• Informing Allegheny County residents of the role of fentanyl in overdose deaths, especially the increased presence of fentanyl contamination throughout the drug supply

• Countering stigma faced by people who use drugs and illustrating how overdose deaths affect all communities and demographic groups

• Highlighting newly at-risk demographics and communicating how harm reduction helps all people who use drugs lead safer and healthier lives

Deliverables

• 30-second and 15-second video advertisements

• 30-second and 15-second radio advertisements

• OOH (out-of-home) advertising materials, including billboards

• Design and branding schematic template for digital advertisements

• Digital materials and content for social media, mobile, and web placements

• Google Adwords content for advertising on major platforms

Insights

#1 In a geographically and demographically diverse county (including the Pittsburgh metro area), campaign talent should be selected to represent the various backgrounds and identities of Allegheny county residents.

#2 Final creative should be carefully crafted in a manner that conveys, complements, and enhances the two distinct key messages of the campaign.

#3 To reach specific target audiences as well as the broader population, campaign creative should focus on both “everyday people” and authoritative medical experts.

Solution

In collaboration with ACHD, Luceo conducted preliminary research, including focus groups and key informant interviews, to gauge residents’ understanding of the relevant issues and identify the populations most at-risk of unintentional fentanyl overdose. This research played an important role in the final creative: each campaign subject selected during pre-production was chosen to either represent a target audience demographic or highlight a different aspect of campaign messaging. Campaign materials in all media channels and formats focused on the same five subjects, to create narrative through-lines that complement and enhance the effectiveness of the final campaign. Extensive use of programmatic advertising was utilized in the implementation phase, including digital/mobile, social media, and online video platforms, to most effectively maximize campaign reach and engagement.