Opioids
Discover our unique approaches to prevent non-medical opioid use by teens, young adults, and adults.
Case Study
A statewide campaign to reduce opioid use among adults in Illinois.
Behavior Change Approach
Over the Dose is designed to increase knowledge and perceived relevance of opioid risks by providing a logical sequence of educational messages. By explaining first how opioids work, the campaign makes consequences seem more realistic and relatable. The digital ads focus on delivering new, relevant information to this audience in a straightforward manner that avoids sensationalizing consequences to more effectively dissuade recreational opioid use.
Audience Insights
Research shows recreational opioid users:
1) Often take pills, but do not know exactly what they are taking, or know that they may be taking opioids under a street name.
2) Commonly used opioids in conjunction with other substances, especially alcohol, yet do not understand the dangers of combining depressants.
3) Believe that heroin is too dangerous and avoid it, but perceive opioids as low-risk, revealing a misunderstanding of opioid risk levels.
1) Often take pills, but do not know exactly what they are taking, or know that they may be taking opioids under a street name.
2) Commonly used opioids in conjunction with other substances, especially alcohol, yet do not understand the dangers of combining depressants.
3) Believe that heroin is too dangerous and avoid it, but perceive opioids as low-risk, revealing a misunderstanding of opioid risk levels.
Implementation Strategy
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PAID SOCIAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA
While the opioid epidemic is often in the news, our at-risk audience is not seeking out health information about it. Our strategic paid social and digital media target high-risk young adults with eye-catching imagery and copy to spark engagement with the content in a relevant way.+ expand - collapse -
INTERACTIVE WEB EXPERIENCES
A series of web experiences walk online visitors through information one piece at a time to ensure the audience interacts with the material.+ expand - collapse -
VIDEO CONTENT
Opioid use and abuse is complex and requires more than just sound bites of information. Over the Dose videos tell a complete story about the risks and consequences of use.+ expand - collapse
In the short time since Over the Dose has launched, we have seen 45% of homepage visitors complete the entire digital experience, which includes six educational modules and a final quiz. Visitors spend an average of four minutes on the site, which is roughly three times the industry average. On social media, we have seen engagement rates five times higher than industry benchmarks, and our digital ads boast a click-through rate of two times the industry average.
