With a lifetime commitment to eliminate preventable deaths at work, at home, and on the road, nonprofit organization National Safety Council (NSC) joined forces with Energy BBDO and production company m ss ng p eces. NSC kindly asked for their help in its mission to raise awareness about the deadly impact opioid can have upon one’s life.
Equipped with scientific data in one hand, and creativity in the other, the partners launched a nationwide campaign that wants to “Stop Everyday Killers.” Through this public awareness initiative, the NGO aims to educate the population about opioid administration, encouraging them to explore other pain treatment options, either by consulting their doctor or their pharmacist.
According to an NSC study, one in four Americans was directly affected by the opioid crisis, while one in three patients declared they didn’t know what kind of pills they are taking. Statistics show that last year only, almost 22,000 people lost their lives because of overdoses on prescription opioid, which means a death occurring every 24 minutes.
However, 40% Americans sit impassively despite strong evidence of such deadly dangers. But what if, instead of listening to numbers, they would be put face to face with those who actually died because of opioid overdose?
The Chicago-based agency didn’t do the impossible and resurrected the dead. Rather, they metaphorically brought the deceased back to life using creativity. Their hands equipped the worst drug crisis in recorded US history with a voice and a face. So, in order to make that voice heard and that face visible all over the USA, the artists built a memorial wall that features the images of the people whose lives were tragically ended because of opioids.
Titled “Prescribed to Death,” the panel is made up of 22,000 engraved pills, each carved with the face of one of the deceased victims. The wall keeps up with the dramatic reality so, every 24 minutes, a new pill with human features is born, thus completing the macabre scenario. Launched in Chicago on November 9 last year, the wall is set to travel across the country, with a stop planned in Pittsburgh in late January 2018.
The memorial exhibition is also available online on the website that was specially created to complement the initiative. Within the wall section, an interactive experience awaits you, allowing you to virtually meet the sad souls that ended their life journey because of opioids. There, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the images of the victims who will share their story once you click on the pill dedicated to their memory.
The NGO’s effort to combat the nationwide problem continues by offering “Opioid Warn Me” labels, which patients can stick to their insurance and pharmacy cards to prompt a conversation with their prescribers about the risks of taking opioids. Moreover, thanks to a partnership between the NSC and Stericycle company, the institution will provide pre-paid “Seal&Send” envelopes for disposing of unused medications.
To support the campaign, the artists created a 3-minute-long video that compresses the experiences faced by both people who are confronted with opioid addiction and by those who lost someone they loved because of the analgesics. The dramatic content of the “Facing an Everyday Killer” film represents a powerful insight into these people’s deep thoughts by highlighting their terrible medical adventure as the images gradually unfold one after another.
Deborah A.P. Hersman, CEO and President of NSC said: “The data speak to our head but the individual stories speak to our hearts. The Facing an Everyday Killer video not only puts an image on the scope of the problem but also encourages actions that will help us eliminate these preventable deaths.”
Credits:
Project: Stop Everyday Killers
Client: National Safety Council
Agency: Energy BBDO
Production company: m ss ng p eces