Many individuals can recall anti-drug messages from their youth—in the event you grew up within the U.S. within the Nineteen Eighties or ’90s, the Simply Say No or DARE campaigns could come to thoughts. However evaluation has since proven that these well-liked slogans largely failed to stop drug use amongst younger folks.
A brand new anti-drug marketing campaign in Sweden takes a distinct strategy by specializing in the impression on society fairly than the person. Swedish company Åkestam Holst NoA created advertisements for the group Pubs In opposition to Medication (Krogar mot Knark) that concentrate on younger people who find themselves considering points equivalent to sustainability, the setting and human rights.
The advertisements expose the human impression of leisure drug use and hyperlink it to the violence and exploitation of the unlawful drug commerce—displaying how partying can help issues equivalent to youngster labor or the destruction of rainforests.
Provocative strains embrace: “I solely sponsor gang wars after I’m with mates” and “I solely help youngster labor when there’s something to have a good time.” They are going to seem on posters at main golf equipment and bars in Stockholm, in addition to on billboards and print advertisements throughout Sweden.
Pubs In opposition to Medication’ marketing campaign speaks to a youthful era who reportedly have a better curiosity in sustainability, local weather change and social justice. In a 2022 survey from market analysis firm Savanta, youthful folks stated they thought-about sustainability and local weather points when selecting manufacturers or merchandise, which ranked above considerations equivalent to price of residing and psychological well being.
Whereas quite a few manufacturers have tried to capitalize on younger folks’s moral and sustainability considerations to promote merchandise, this tactic is uncommon in anti-drug campaigns.
“We all know that younger Swedes wish to reside sustainable lives and make accountable selections. They eat much less meat, select the prepare over airplane, and ensure to not purchase a shirt that has been produced utilizing youngster labor. However they aren’t as conscious of the impression potential drug abuse has on society at giant,” stated Eva Wallmark, artwork director at Åkestam Holst NoA. “Particular person drug use is commonly defined with excuses, equivalent to, ‘It solely impacts my very own well being’ or ‘I solely do medicine a few occasions a yr.’ With the brand new marketing campaign, we would like younger drug customers to suppose twice earlier than taking get together medicine of their favourite restaurant and bar or when out clubbing.”
Tackling a rising drawback
Pubs In opposition to Medication deliberate this marketing campaign as Sweden grapples with an increase in gun violence, which criminologists have linked to the unlawful drug commerce. In 2022, a record-breaking 61 folks died in shootings—a one-third improve from 45 deaths the earlier yr, in line with the Swedish authorities. Eight out of 10 of these shootings have been linked to prison gangs promoting medicine.
Compared, Sweden’s neighbors Norway and Denmark reported 4 capturing deaths every final yr, whereas Finland reported two.
Pubs In opposition to Medication’ analysis discovered that 73% of 18- to 35-year-olds in Sweden have used medicine, and 54% stated they used medicine at the very least as soon as previously yr.
Åkestam Holst NoA got here up with the thought for this marketing campaign throughout a often scheduled night session when the company’s creatives brainstorm options to numerous issues. Whereas anti-drug campaigns normally deal with the results to the person, equivalent to damaging well being or inflicting habit, this one as a substitute takes a wider societal view, defined Rickard Beskow, artistic and associate at Åkestam Holst.
“In the event you don’t care about your well being or when you have consumed medicine earlier than with out changing into addicted, these sorts of messages won’t have an effect. So, we determined to make use of a distinct strategy,” he stated. “We all know that the goal group wish to be seen as ‘good’ people who find themselves making accountable selections. That’s why we determined to spotlight how their option to do medicine on a Friday or Saturday is affecting their environment–the setting, different folks and society.”
CREDITS:
Company: Åkestam Holst NoA
Artwork administrators: Eva Wallmark, Michal Sitkiewicz, Hugo Wallmo
Copywriter: Rickard Beskow
Inventive director: Joakim Khoury
Account supervisor: Anna Nollendorfs
Planner: Sindra Liebe
Inventive designer: Sara Bellafesta
Movement designer: Ville Askelöf
Head of communications and PR: Gabriel Francke Rodau
