Face It TOGETHER™
A Groundbreaking Public Awareness Campaign
Ending stigma and shame
When a public health crisis is devastating lives and draining the human and economic potential of our country, where do you start? We launched a major campaign in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the purpose of which was to bring an end to the stigma and shame surrounding alcohol and drug problems. It was a major first step in:
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• Bringing the disease out of the darkness and into the light of acceptance.
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• Creating a community of recovery to ensure that people didn’t have to face these problems alone.
Ending stigma and shame
When a public health crisis is devastating lives and draining the human and economic potential of our country, where do you start? We launched a major campaign in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the purpose of which was to bring an end to the stigma and shame surrounding alcohol and drug problems. It was a major first step in:
- Bringing the disease out of the darkness and into the light of acceptance.
- Creating a community of recovery to ensure that people didn’t have to face these problems alone.
Humanizing a disease
Seeking to become the public face and voice for recovery, we needed to name and create an identity for the organization leading the charge. That name became Face It TOGETHER. We also created a comprehensive web presence and public awareness campaign centered on humanizing the disease by using real stories to reframe perceptions about anonymity and openness amid recovery. Local media partners were contacted for paid and donated media, which led to a 30-minute in-depth news segment on one of the local television stations. A “March into the Light” event was also created inviting the community to a sunrise walk in the local park. Swag designed for the event included glow-in-the-dark wristbands and recovery T-shirts.
Humanizing a disease
Seeking to become the public face and voice for recovery, we needed to name and create an identity for the organization leading the charge. That name became Face It TOGETHER. We also created a comprehensive web presence and public awareness campaign centered on humanizing the disease by using real stories to reframe perceptions about anonymity and openness amid recovery. Local media partners were contacted for paid and donated media, which led to a 30-minute in-depth news segment on one of the local television stations. A “March into the Light” event was also created inviting the community to a sunrise walk in the local park. Swag designed for the event included glow-in-the-dark wristbands and recovery T-shirts.
Hope and possibility
Dramatically heightened awareness and reduced barriers for those seeking help were evident immediately. In the first ten weeks of the campaign launch, Face It TOGETHER Sioux Falls experienced:
- • More than 4,700 visits to its website.
- • A 716 percent increase in calls to its recovery center.
- • A 164 percent increase in walk-ins to its center.
Hope and possibility
Dramatically heightened awareness and reduced barriers for those seeking help were evident immediately. In the first ten weeks of the campaign launch, Face It TOGETHER Sioux Falls experienced:
- More than 4,700 visits to its website.
- A 716 percent increase in calls to its recovery center.
- A 164 percent increase in walk-ins to its center.
Ready to get moving?