Truth Pharm
Launching a marketing campaign for a substance use awareness non profit.
Overview
Truth Pharm is a nonprofit based in Binghamton, NY that focuses on reducing the stigma against substance use disorder and helping affected families heal through advocacy. I designed and marketed for both the nonprofit and their annual event, the Trail of Truth, which is the largest rally for substance use disorder in the US.
- Role
- Marketing and Design Intern
- Context
- May 2023 – Aug 2023, Internship
- Tools
- Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, DaVinci Resolve, Meta Business Suite, Canva
- Team
- Executive Director: Alexis Pleus · Community Arts Liaison: Mia Hause
Truth Pharm needed a way to design and market their upcoming events.
To accomplish this goal, I collaborated with the team to:
- Schedule social media posts across both Truth Pharm and Trail of Truth accounts
- Design event flyers, headers, and posts to advertise upcoming events and rallies
- Create and organize printing of brand deliverables, including business and post cards, t-shirts, and tote bags
- Photograph, film, and video edit marketing materials
- Monitor best performing posts to increase engagement
- Gather insights and empathy for people with substance use disorder
Solution
Curated Flyers
These are some of the flyers that were printed and posted on social media to promote the event:
Trail of Truth Videos
These videos show the impact of substance use disorder on families. They use an emotional tone as a call to action to attend the event.
- Painted tombstones symbolize the lives lost from substance use disorder
- The video aims to show the emotional toll on families through these tombstones
- Edited and manually subtitled video for accessibility and storytelling
- Presented a case study on the lives of the children and families affected by substance use disorder
Project Process
Discovery
Research
I got to market, photograph, and attend Truth Pharm’s advocacy events. Talking to those affected by substance use disorder helped me get a better picture of how to message and therefore design my social media campaigns. This hands-on experience strengthened my understanding and empathy for the families and victims affected by substance use. Listening to the speakers and performers detail their experiences inspired me to create materials that would help Truth Pharm spread their messaging.
Design
Brand Guidelines
Truth Pharm already had an established brand image that I followed. They prioritized a mid-century modern, bright, inviting color scheme that informed my designs. For the Trail of Truth, the brand was more serious, with purple and black being the primary colors of the campaign.
Delivery
Printables & Social Media
I designed business cards, postcards, flyers, and other merchandise to promote both Truth Pharm and the Trail of Truth. Alongside printed deliverables, I managed both social media accounts, posted at least 3 times a week, and tracked analytics using the Meta Business Suite.
Reflection and the future
Takeaways
Social media is a relatively inexpensive way to expand any organization’s reach. I’m proud that my efforts at Truth Pharm led to a 200% increase in account engagement according to the Meta Business Suite, and the social media videos were the most popular. To my surprise, I also found that people responded positively to text-heavy posts if they were accompanied by an impactful photo. My time at Truth Pharm showed me a problem that affects people from all different backgrounds. I looked forward to educating myself and learning about the science of addiction through people that have lived through so much.
The Future
- How can Truth Pharm keep their advertising approach relevant according to changing trends?
- How can we change our messaging to include all groups within the “anti drug war” community?
- How can we facilitate uploading content and ensure that posts stay fresh and diverse?