Faces of Pain: Humanizing the Opioid Crisis.
My Role: Team lead, Project management, research, strategic development, deck narrative
My Team: Emily Day (strategist), Rose D’Amato (art director), Marshall Pittman (XD), Anthony Vacante (copywriter), and Christina Williams (copywriter).
The ask
Raise awareness and drive change around the opioid crisis and opioid use disorder (OUD).
The problem
Stigma and blame placed on those suffering from OUD prevent individuals from seeking help and perpetuate misconceptions about addiction.
The solution
A campaign that humanizes the crisis by sharing the diverse faces and stories impacted by OUD, fostering empathy, and promoting advocacy through targeted storytelling and partnerships.
Background
Opioid use disorder (OUD) continues to devastate communities across the U.S., impacting 1.6 million people and resulting in 130 overdose deaths daily. From 1999 to 2020, over 564,000 people died from opioid overdoses, reflecting the crisis’s alarming scale. OUD is a chronic medical condition driven by the misuse of prescription drugs like oxycodone and illicit substances like heroin and fentanyl.
Despite treatment options, stigma remains a key barrier, fueling misconceptions and limiting access to life-saving resources. Addressing this stigma is critical in turning the tide.
The Problem: STIGMA
Where there should be support, individuals with OUD often face stigma and blame instead. This judgment is not just from the general public but also from law enforcement, healthcare providers, family members, and even peers within recovery communities. The stigma extends to controversies surrounding medication-assisted treatment (MAT), with some viewing these treatments as "less than" or not valid forms of recovery, further isolating those seeking help and perpetuating barriers to effective care.
INSIGHT
Empathy for people suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD) is in short supply.
OPPORTUNITY
Build empathy by focusing on the people affected, rather than the disease itself.
Showing the Truth: A Partnership Unveiling the Realities of OUD
To spotlight this issue, partnering with the Truth Initiative was a no-brainer. Their track record of driving cultural change and combating stigma, particularly among younger generations, makes them the perfect partner to address the opioid crisis. This campaign aims to humanize OUD, emphasizing its widespread impact on individuals, families, and society. The objective of the campaign is to reduce stigma, build empathy, and inspire advocacy for those affected by OUD by sharing real stories and fostering a deeper understanding of the crisis.
Campaign: pain has many faces
Humanize the opioid epidemic by sharing the faces and stories of those affected on digital platforms, OOH, and activations.
Out of Home
social
activation
A Closer Look at the Opioid Crisis
This two-part installation utilizes oversized prescription bottles strategically placed across the lawn to attract distant onlookers. As visitors approach, they discover stories from individuals across all walks of life, illustrating the widespread reach of OUD—from the young to the elderly.
The true magic unfolds at night: the bottles transform into illuminated displays, with screens that initially appear as indistinct blobs from afar but resolve into clear, poignant faces as one draws near. This design symbolizes the essence of empathy—overcoming surface judgments to understand and connect with the deeper human stories. Through this immersive experience, we not only bring the hidden struggles associated with OUD to light but also shows the importance of personal stories in fostering understanding and compassion.
A Convergence of Influence and Visibility
Washington D.C., with its historical and cultural prominence, is an ideal venue for our impactful opioid use disorder awareness activation. The expansive 72-acre public space of the Washington Monument grounds attracts millions of tourists, and politicians and lawmakers from across the globe. This setting ensures maximum exposure and engagement.
Landing page
Hub for Opioid Use Disorder Awareness and Support
The landing page, hosted on the Truth Initiative site, will serve as a comprehensive resource hub for information about OUD. It will offer details on medications, ways to get involved, and relevant legislation, as well as a platform for purchasing life-saving items like Narcan.
A key feature will be the "Face Them Memorial," where users can explore personal stories of those impacted by OUD, post words of encouragement, and honor lost loved ones with memories and tributes on individual storyboards. Social media, out-of-home ads, and activations will drive traffic to this page.
takeaway
Overcoming stigma is critical to creating the policy and programmatic changes necessary to combat the opioid crisis. Only by fostering empathy and understanding can we break down the barriers preventing individuals from seeking help and drive meaningful progress in addressing OUD on both a societal and legislative level.