Safer Kansas
Developing Caring Communities Committed to Action: Safer Kansas
4M
Delivered 4,080,009 Total Impressions to Kansas Youth Ages 12–18
8Wk
Strategy Included Paid Social, YouTube, ZTV and Hulu Used for 8-Week Media Flight
$12K
Statewide Campaign Launched With $12,000 Media Budget
Branding
Marketing
Overview
DCCCA set out to launch a campaign aimed at reaching youth ages 12–18 and discouraging opioid and other substance use. Research showed that a “preachy” or top-down approach would fall flat — teens are quick to tune out anything that feels like a lecture. To actually connect, the campaign needed to feel peer-driven, relatable, and rooted in their world, not ours.
Award-winning
- Silver ADDY Elements of Advertising: Animation
HOW we helped
Connecting with a teen audience meant showing up the right way. With a wide target range from 12 to 18, we needed a campaign that could speak to both ends without feeling out of touch. Ghost created an amorphous character — no race, no gender, no stereotypes — so every kid could see themselves in the story without bias getting in the way.
The character navigates a video game world of risky choices, ending with a hard-hitting, relatable “game over” moment. Bold animation, a stripped-down color scheme, and clear storytelling kept it sharp, serious, and real — without ever falling back on fear tactics.
We used bold animation, a minimal color scheme, and clear narrative hooks to keep the message serious without ever becoming preachy. The result? A campaign that earned trust, not eye-rolls — exactly what this audience deserved.
