How this Foundation Literally Spotlit the Number of Canadians Who Die from Opioid Toxicity
Statistically, an estimated 6 million Canadians experience addiction in their lifetime. Whether this is drugs, booze, nicotine - the what doesn’t matter so much as the fact that it’s a real, pressing concern, and one which doesn’t impact a small number of people either.
Unfortunately, this subsequently leads to frequent cases of harm, or even death. Notably, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) research shows that across the country, approximately 20 people die from opioid toxicity every day. Moreover, between 2014 and 2021, the number of people visiting CAMH’s emergency department due to amphetamine use increased by 700%, and the number of young people coming in for substance use disorders went up by 50% between July 2022 and January 2023.
To this end, both the foundation and its partner creative agency, Camp Jefferson, are trying to make a difference. Launching the ‘No One Left Behind’ fundraising initiative last year, the two built off this to spotlight the nature of addiction… literally. Showcasing Canadians of all backgrounds, ages and ethnicities gathered under a series of spotlights, a 30-second spot made it clear just how big a number 20 really is by dimming the lights on each one, indicating the fact that this is, objectively speaking, a crisis in Canada.
LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Camp Jefferson associate creative director Dave Fontaine, SVP, head of strategy Ian Barr, and CAMH’s director, brand & engagement, Meghan Kelly, to discuss how this came to life.
LBB> What was the brief for this campaign, and what immediate ideas came to mind?
Meghan> Our brief to Camp Jefferson centred around attracting new donors to CAMH Foundation and engaging existing donors with a bold and emotive message. After launching the ‘No One Left Behind’ brand platform, our strategy was to demonstrate to Canadians how the work of CAMH is ensuring no one experiencing mental illness or addiction is left behind.
In this case, we chose to focus our communications on addiction, as this is an issue that is relevant and deeply personal to so many, and a space in which CAMH clinicians, researchers and policy analysts are driving significant hope and change.
Dave> Idea-wise, we knew we were going to speak to addiction, but when we came across this particular stat of 20 Canadians a day dying from drug overdose, it hit pretty hard. It’s a very shocking stat, and it really puts into perspective how big of a crisis this is.
LBB> And what is the ‘No One Left Behind’ platform? Is there anything Canadians should know about it at this present time?
Meghan> With a goal of $500 million, ‘No One Left Behind’ is the world’s largest fundraising campaign for hospital-based mental health research. Philanthropic donations to the ‘No One Left Behind’ campaign will accelerate mental health research at CAMH and build a new Research & Discovery Centre at CAMH’s Queen Street site in Toronto. These investments will enable researchers to tackle the mental health and addiction crisis. The Research & Discovery Centre will also house addiction-focused labs and groups, as well as clinical research areas where patients experiencing mental illness, including addiction, can be part of CAMH studies that improve treatment and outcomes.
We hope to achieve our ambitious fundraising targets by 2025! Canadians should know that their support of this campaign will change the future of mental health care.
LBB> Why was this statistics-driven spot the right way to not only spotlight addiction, but follow up this campaign?
Ian> Addiction was a logical next step because of the crisis Canada is facing right now. Fifty percent of Canadians feel that the addictions crisis is in a very urgent state, but on a human level, people across Canada are seeing it unfold in an unignorable way that’s more visible and visceral than it’s ever been. It’s visible en route to the gym, when you walk out your door to head home from work, and in the public places that your family frequents. You’re not just hearing about the crisis, you’re feeling it.
With respect to the stats, what we heard from people is that the problem feels overwhelming. We know that when issues feel too big, people give up. We liked this statistic’s jarring simplicity – there’s something tangible about it that hits you hard, without it feeling insurmountable.
LBB> Building on this, what was the research process like? Did you know from the beginning you wanted to focus on opioid numbers in Canada? Or were these things you learned early on that proved too important not to talk about?
Ian> Beyond the statistical data, we spent a lot of time trying to understand the nuance of addiction. We started looking at addiction in the broadest sense and quickly zeroed in on substance use disorders. During that process, we had in-depth discussions with people with lived experience, psychiatrists, the head of CAMH’s emergency department, and its chief of addictions, Dr Leslie Buckley.
In going through that process, we knew we had a difficult subject matter that was incredibly complex to communicate and required a lot of important consultation to get right. We liked the simplicity of the opioid statistic and its relatability. Beyond the stat in the primary video, we felt it was important for people to hear from those with lived experience, in order to show that recovery is possible. There is hope!
LBB> What were the biggest takeaways from this process? Was there any data you found particularly shocking?
Ian> Because I deal with numbers a lot, the macro statistics aren’t as shocking to me as they once were. Rather, my curiosity is peaked in the commentary that comes from conversations with people who work in the field or who have lived experience. In several instances, we asked people with lived experience what’s changed for drug users today versus when they were using, and received a common response: they’d be dead if they were using today. The street drugs today are cheaper, more accessible, and are more likely to kill you. The research data for specific substances supports this.
LBB> The spot itself is very well done! What was the writing process like, and what made ending on ‘that’s a crisis’ the right way to go with the voiceover?
Dave> The stat that we built the spot around is so hard-hitting that it came down to asking ourselves how we could communicate it in the simplest way possible, and not distract from what the issue really is.
LBB> Notable is the fact that this spot has a diverse cast, demonstrating the ways in which opioid toxicity can impact anyone. As such, what was casting like? What were you looking for?
Meghan> Casting representation was very important to our team. We always focus on diversity and representation in our campaigns, and when speaking to a topic like addiction it is so important that we’re representing the face of the issue.
Specifically, we sought out stories that represented the many faces of addiction with a hope that many people would see their own experiences or the experience of someone they love in the campaign.
LBB> What made Brent Foster the right director for the job, and what was working with him like? Do you have any anecdotes from on set?
Dave> Brent Foster is an amazing collaborator. He has the ability to take any idea, no matter how complicated or simple, and elevate it. Every experience working with him has always felt like we’ve been on the same page the entire time, which is great.
In terms of production, this was shot in a very large studio. We were trying to get a lot done in a single day, so we essentially had three productions going at once: the spot, a photoshoot, and on-camera interviews for people with lived experience. The entire studio had to be lit very darkly to allow the spotlights to show, so it took a while for our eyes to adjust, but once they did, everything looked very surreal - like a dream.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Ian> The biggest challenge in working in the mental health and addiction space is the complexity of the subject matter and understanding that people have very passionate opinions about it. Our job is to present the issue and opportunity to people in a powerful way that resonates with them, is true to what CAMH believes/provides, and is respectful of those with lived experience. If we do that well, donors will donate and people will get the help they need.
Success is achieved through collaboration, consultation, compassion and lots of listening.
Meghan> It is critical for us to consult a diverse array of stakeholders in developing a campaign like this, to ensure we are getting it right. Addiction is a complex issue. The positioning of this campaign and the decision to focus on drug toxicity and overdose required deep collaboration with our agency partners at Camp Jefferson, and expert consultation from clinical, research, policy and communications leaders at CAMH.
The rigour we put in upfront in developing the strategic brief for the campaign challenged timelines, but allowed us confidence once we moved into development and created a strong stakeholder group that supported the campaign from start to finish.
LBB> Do you have any memorable lessons learned from the making of this new campaign?
Meghan> Working with people with lived experience is always a highlight of producing a CAMH Foundation campaign. The courage, resilience, and strength that each of our featured storytellers share with us teaches each person involved countless lessons that we all carry on with us, and hope viewers take away as well.
LBB> What has the initial response to the campaign been like?
Meghan> The initial response has been very positive! We have heard great feedback about the stories of people's lived experience, and the immediate impact they have had on many individuals who needed to see themselves in a story of hope.
LBB> Speaking of stories of hope, what did the chance to be involved in this campaign mean to you?
Ian> Working on CAMH for the past five years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. This campaign was particularly personal because I’ve experienced people close to me struggling with substance abuse issues. The world needs more CAMH.
LBB> Finally, is there anything you’d like to tell readers about CAMH, and how they can support the work you’re doing?
Meghan> The toll addiction takes on the Canadian population is staggering, and further compounds the mental health crisis that’s being experienced on a local, national and global scale. As Canada’s largest mental health hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres in its field, CAMH is prepared to go further than ever to amplify the voices of those struggling with addiction and support those facing mental illness.
With your support, we can change mental health care forever.
