NEW JERSEY HARM REDUCTION COALITION
Background
Luceo partnered with the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition (NJHRC) and Vital Strategies to develop a campaign highlighting the necessity of harm reduction services in New Jersey. The Essential, Effective, Human campaign was released as the New Jersey State Legislature was poised to determine whether to expand the provision of harm reduction services in the state. Campaign materials targeted key demographics throughout New Jersey during the legislative session, providing people with accurate information about the all-important role harm reduction plays in preventing fatal overdoses and the spread of communicable diseases.
Objective
• Primary: To increase legislative and constituent support for the passage of S3009, a bill authorizing the state government to play a larger role in expanding the provision of harm reduction services in New Jersey
• Secondary: To raise awareness of the importance of harm reduction services to every community in the state and to generate public support for the provision of these services
Deliverables
• 30-second and 15-second video advertisements
• OOH (Out-of-home) advertising materials, including billboards
• Digital materials for social media, mobile, and web placements
• A story-based microsite explaining the public health challenges faced by New Jersey and positioning harm reduction as an essential component in the resolution of these challenges.
Insights
#1 People working in the field of harm reduction make valuable contributions to community health.
#2 Stigma surrounding harm reduction obscures public perception of its positive effects.
#3 Centering a campaign on real people with lived experience counters stigma faced by people who use drugs and helps normalize harm reduction services as safe, practical, and necessary.
#4 Campaign talent utilized in the final creative should be drawn from New Jersey harm reduction workers and people who use drugs.
Solution
Luceo developed key messaging, materials, and advertising placements for a public awareness campaign in New Jersey. The campaign focused on the stories of people who work in or benefit from harm reduction services in the state. Digital and traditional advertising targeted a highly-specific audience during a short window in the legislative session, directing people to the campaign’s microsite. Visitors to the site could access additional information about harm reduction and learn more about the stories of each of the campaign’s subjects.
Results
The New Jersey State Legislature passed a bill authorizing expanded provision of harm reduction services in January of 2022. The highly-targeted campaign delivered 3 million digital impressions, with additional impressions delivered on billboards and transit station squares throughout the state. Materials were produced and placed within a compressed time frame to coincide with the timing of the legislation. Video completion rates for programmatic and Youtube were 62% and 57%, respectively, delivering about 368,500 views total.
The campaign’s microsite, www.keepNJhealthy.org, continues to deliver vital information about harm reduction and its benefits for residents of New Jersey.
