NHS Camden wanted to encourage heroin and crack cocaine users in the Borough to better engage with support services, reduce their risk of overdose, and get screened for blood-borne viruses. We were commissioned to gather insight into current barriers to uptake of services, and develop targeted creative solutions to help users get the support they needed.
We began with in-depth interviews of key stakeholders in drug support services to understand current provision and the barriers to access, and with drug users themselves, to understand why they were not accessing services.
This research revealed a clear need to connect users with services using a consistent set of materials, and that the design and content should focus on simple, directional, almost iconographic information to clearly signpost support services.
We used these audience insights to create a simple, non-judgemental, yet vibrant visual language for the campaign, brought to life across a range of print materials. The combination of bright pink palette and clear iconography helps to immediately identify and signpost advice and services. As well as a range of posters, we created the pocket-sized ‘Camden User’s Guide’, which coupled useful information with a map to all drug support services in the area. To ensure the message reached its intended audience, the signage was prominently displayed – and the Guide handed out – in areas where local drug users were known to congregate.