Washington State Department of Health

Project Sample 1: Youth Cannabis Prevention Campaign

Since 2016, we have worked with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to develop a comprehensive campaign to prevent cannabis use among youth. The campaign takes a two-pronged approach: 1) direct outreach to youth, ages 12-17, through the You Can brand to educate about the risks and consequences of using cannabis, increase resilience, and enhance the protective factors that help youth resist drugs, and 2) outreach to parents, caregivers, and other influential adults through the Under the Influence…of You brand to encourage them to talk with youth about not using cannabis.

Our work spans the full range of communications services: research and strategy; brand development; advertising and marketing; website development; social media management; and partner engagement. Through creative assets and multiple touchpoints, we reach key audiences, including overburdened and underserved communities, in effective and culturally-appropriate ways. The campaign is informed by DEI principles as well as our partners with lived experiences. It is offered in multiple languages—with assets in English and Spanish for youth and 37 languages for parents and caregivers.

To date, ad buys reaching youth have generated more than 431 million impressions, 59 million video completes, and 2.1 million ad clicks. Most importantly, an evaluation revealed youth found the messages believable and relatable, with 61% saying that the messaging made them less likely to use marijuana or made them want to continue to avoid it.