Meeting a health emergency head on

THE CHALLENGE

The opioid epidemic is a major public health issue in the U.S., with over 105,000 drug overdose deaths reported by the CDC from August 2022 to August 2023. Most of these emergencies occur at home and are accidental. Quick response is crucial, highlighting the importance of widespread access to naloxone for laypeople.

THE RESPONSE

Given the ongoing epidemic and proven lifesaving impact of naloxone, Emergent BioSolutions took action to help broaden access. In March 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved NARCAN® Nasal Spray as the first over-the-counter (OTC) intranasal naloxone treatment. Soon after, the company ramped up for one of the most important OTC product launches in decades.

THE ACTION

The team at Curation Communications, a GCI Group company, worked with Emergent to launch, Ready to Rescue, a grassroots educational campaign at college campuses nationwide. At college tailgates, students, families and alumni received information on how NARCAN® Nasal Spray works and QR codes led to product education. A powerful partnership with a pro football legend who is a father of five and had witnessed accidental overdose firsthand, served as a campaign cornerstone. Micro and macro influencers helped amplify the message to break the stigma, normalize the discussion around opioid overdose preparedness and raise awareness for why and how to use NARCAN® Nasal Spray.

THE IMPACT

The Ready to Rescue campaign drove honest conversations that fostered greater brand advocacy, establishing NARCAN® Nasal Spray as a trusted OTC opioid reversal medication. The program was awarded the Best OTC Launch and Best Public Awareness Campaign at the PRWeek Healthcare Awards and Best Consumer Health campaign as the PRovoke Media SANRE Noth America Awards.