ReturnToWorkSA explores the many faces of Opioid dependency in new campaign via Showpony
The latest campaign produced for ReturnToWorkSA by Showpony Adelaide represents another important step towards exposing the dangers of prolonged or improper prescription opioid usage.
Executed across free-to-air, outdoor and digital, the campaigns centrepiece is an emotionally charged 45 second ‘film’ created specifically for cinema. Directed by Parris Mesidis with award winning DOP, Emerson Hoskin behind the camera.
Says Julia Oakley, executive general manager, ReturnToWorkSA: “Our first ‘ReachForTheFacts’ campaign was created to raise public awareness of the risks of dependency and addiction associated with these powerful painkillers. This latest campaign highlights a range of other, unexpected side-effects, that the public is still largely unaware of.”
Says Parris Mesidis, group creative director, Showpony: “When we started researching for this campaign we were shocked to discover just how many aspects of life these drugs can impact on. Relationship breakdown, crippling anxiety, impaired physical function, they’re all potential side-effects of prescription opioid usage.
“Our idea was to weave these seemingly unrelated side-effects into an emotionally driven, layered narrative that explored different experiences of loss before revealing prescription opioids as the common cause with the line, ‘Opioids can take away more than pain’.”
While every moment was carefully scripted, Showpony deliberately omitted dialogue in favour of a poignant track to open the narrative up to subjective interpretation and connect with the widest possible audience.
Says Andy Scott, senior creative, Showpony: “The music and lyrics perfectly emoted everything we wanted to say. In this instance dialogue would only have gotten in the way.”
Says Julia Oakley, executive general manager, ReturnToWorkSA: “Showpony are true collaborators. We were part of their process every step of the way and we are optimistic that what we have created together will build on the success of our first campaign.”