Meth, Fentanyl, Vaping, Nutrition: 5 Public Health Campaigns in 2021

Throughout 2021, we had the honor of working on public health campaigns across the country, tackling urgent issues such as fentanyl-laced pills and powders, teen vaping prevention and cessation, and more. We’ve developed each of these programs on a foundation of intentional equity to ensure we’re authentically serving the populations who need our support the most. Here, we’re celebrating just a few of the programs developed in partnership with state and local public health departments this year.

“The Great Manipulator”: Behind the Haze

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted teens’ mental health, and many young people have cited vaping as a way to cope. In this ad created for our ready-made teen vaping prevention campaign Behind the Haze, we show teens the science behind why vaping can negatively affect their mental health.

“Meet Myles”: Laced & Lethal

In partnership with Washington State’s King County, we developed the campaign Laced & Lethal to educate residents on the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs and actions to prevent a fatal overdose. Designed for teens, our ad “Meet Myles” increases relevancy of the risk of fentanyl-laced drugs and the importance of taking preventative measures. The campaign also features an interactive website where audiences can get in-depth information about overdose prevention strategies.

“Blank-Minded”: Swap Up

To help combat rising rates of childhood obesity in Oklahoma, we worked with the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to launch a teen-focused nutrition education campaign: Swap Up. In our research with 400+ teens, we found they aren’t as motivated by “later-in-life” health outcomes. The ad, “Blank-Minded,” connects what teens eat today to how they will feel and perform in the short-term, rather than focusing on long-term consequences.

“Behind the Face”: MethFreeLACounty

To combat a 640% increase in the number of deaths related to methamphetamine poisoning or drug overdose in LA County, we partnered with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health to develop a new wave of MethFreeLACounty ads and an educational website. “Behind the Face'' challenges the stereotype that meth use is always apparent on a person’s face, which can cause family and friends to miss the signs that a loved one might need help. Watch "Behind the Face" in English or in Spanish.

Quit the Hit: An Instagram-Based Cessation Solution for Young People

In our research with teens and young adults, we discovered two key areas of cessation assistance they need most: peer support and foundational cessation education. We worked with Hopelab and UCSF to create Quit the Hit, an innovative online cessation support group hosted on Instagram. Quit the Hit begins by recruiting participants through targeted social media ads and also provides implementation and evaluation. Watch one of our recruitment ads below.

If you have any questions about partnering with us for your next public health campaign, please don’t hesitate to contact us.