When the State Museum announced plans to embark on a journey to develop a new exhibit taking focus on the devastating health crisis impacting Hoosiers across the state, we applauded the bold strategy to address the substance of the issues surrounding the facts, figures and stories that make up the current opioid crisis, and facilitate a meaningful (albeit difficult) conversation.

That takes guts.

Using powerful “facts” and “figures” of this crisis, we were able to support the authenticity of this powerful exhibit, and position ISM as a leader in this important conversation, as we work to facilitate and expedite a solution . . . for the next generation. For this campaign, we were inspired by the exhibit’s layered approach, and wanted to incorporate personal connections to the current crisis from various perspectives in the form of letters, notes, news articles, metrics, etc. We wanted this layering to reflect the exhibit experience where guests are led from heartbreak (bottom layer) to hope (top layer). These “layers” are also a visual representation of the complicated nature of this crisis—one with many different levels that deserve our time and attention, underscoring the important role that empathy plays in the solution.

The comprehensive campaign explored the wide impact of the opioid crisis and highlights the fact that there are real conversations happening around the state. In subsequent print, social and collateral deliverables, we explored new messaging layers (including animation and motion graphics) to include alternative perspectives about both the heartbreak and hope of this devastating opioid crisis. We even created environmental floor graphics with shoeprint messages leading people from the museum entrance to the third floor exhibit. After all, if we all work together to better understand our state’s opioid crisis from every nuanced angle, we can affect substantive change for generations of families to follow.