"GPY&R Melbourne and Victorian charity Odyssey House have introduced 'The Petition' - a simple, yet powerful way to challenge the stigma of drug and alcohol addiction.
'The Petition' asks that people recognise that addiction doesn't go away on its own, and sign their name in support of this cause. With an Australian dying every 24 minutes from their use of drugs and alcohol, it also calls on the government to tackle the issue of addiction in Australia.
In an interesting twist, upon signing the petition, a live video stream broadcasts the petitioners name being printed off in real time by a dot matrix printer, straight into a box, to be delivered to the government by Odyssey House Victoria.
'The Petition' is supported by the 'The Box', the internationally awarded TV spot for Odyssey House Victoria. The Box TVC was developed to challenge the stereotype around the types of people who are affected by alcohol or drug addiction. Patts worked with Odyssey House to demonstrate how addiction affects people from all walks of life; young, old, parents, singles, friends, co-workers, the people you love. And while it stays hidden, addiction carries shame and stigma, which can stop people from seeking and receiving help. Chances are, you may know someone who needs help too.
The campaign is also supported by social sharing through Facebook, enabling those who have signed to share the message with their social communities and start what can sometimes be a difficult conversation around addiction."
Campaign Brief
I worked on the digital strategy side of 'The Petition' from its inception and ideation right through to the SEO & social strategies for the campaign. It was a great example of co-operation between brand & digital planning with my counterpart Tom Ding, who led the excellent thinking that guided the original ad - The Box - that inspired the The Petition.
