CLIENT: APT Foundation
SERVICES: Marketing Campaign, Marketing Material, Animation, PR, Social Media Management, Podcast, Web Development
Overview
In the face of a worsening opioid crisis, APT Foundation—a pioneering treatment center founded by Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry—sought to increase access to effective, evidence-based care. Red Rock Branding partnered with APT to develop and execute a multi-year public health marketing strategy that leveraged storytelling, digital platforms, and community engagement to challenge stigma, improve awareness, and drive measurable action.
The Challenge
In 2023, over 107,000 Americans died of overdose— a public health emergency equivalent to one full jumbo jet crashing every day! – compounded by persistent treatment barriers including stigma, regulatory restrictions, long wait times, and systemic inertia.
APT had the solution: an innovative Open Access model that allows individuals to begin treatment immediately without the traditional hurdles. But community response had been mixed due to social stigma and misinformation.
What the moment needed was a campaign that could cut through the noise, shift public perception, and prompt constructive action.
Strategic Foundation
Before launching this campaign, Red Rock worked with APT on a series of foundational branding and communication projects that laid the groundwork for long-term engagement:
Website Redesign
We transformed APT’s site from a clinical directory into a human-centered resource hub:
- Added resource pages for individuals, families, and providers
- Created a research section highlighting the science behind APT’s approach
- Wrote all content in a voice that was medically credible and locally relatable
- Included a Spanish-translated version to increase accessibility
Impact: 69% increase in site traffic
Content Development & Community Engagement
- Launched the podcast Open Access, Open Mic, telling stories rooted in both lived experience and academic insight
- Facilitated virtual community forums on topics like motherhood, chronic pain, and social determinants of substance use
- Supported APT’s 50th Anniversary Virtual Gala, which raised $50,181 during the pandemic
Impact: These efforts built trust, expanded APT’s voice in the public space, and created a platform we would later leverage for campaign outreach. We also Raised $50,181 during APT’s 50th anniversary event amid COVID-19.
Social Media Growth
With minimal paid spend, Red Rock guided steady growth in APT’s digital footprint:
Let’s Break Barriers to Treatment
Campaign Goals
With that foundation in place, Red Rock led the development of a campaign designed to:
- Raise Awareness of MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder) and APT’s unique Open Access model
- Reduce Stigma through empathetic and informative public service messages
Encourage Action by connecting individuals to real-time care and inspiring other organizations and community leaders to do the same, providing advocacy tools that emphasize the tragic human and financial costs of inaction
Our Approach
Target Area
- New Haven County, CT
- Population: 867,00
- Grounded in the community level of the Social-Ecological Model
Narrative Framework
To shift public perception and prompt behavioral change, we applied a classic story arc to structure campaign messaging:
- The Villain: The opioid epidemic and preventable overdose deaths
- The Obstacle: Stigma, regulation, and normalized inaccessibility
- The Hero: APT’s Open Access model
The Stakes: Health equity, lives of loved ones, community strength - The Call to Action: Scale treatment access and challenge the status quo
Branding & Messaging
Graphic Novel Storytelling
To increase engagement and accessibility, we proposed and developed a graphic novel-inspired campaign video. This format allowed us to visualize complex issues while connecting emotionally with viewers. It also served as a cornerstone of our broader multimedia approach.
Multi-Channel Execution
Digital Media
- Geo-targeted social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)
- SEO landing page to drive inquiries and referrals
- Omnichannel streaming video series, using animated storytelling
- Hearst Media partnership to distribute campaign messages across digital and print platforms
- Podcast amplification using clips and quotes from Open Access, Open Mic
Traditional Media
- Transit ads across New Haven’s public bus network
- Billboards in 12 key high-traffic locations
Mass Media
- TV + Radio coverage: Channel 8 (WTNH), WICC, NPR
- Op-eds in the New Haven Register
Measurement & Impact
Key Indicators
All campaign activity was tied to real-time performance metrics via custom dashboards. We prioritized engagement over vanity metrics, with an emphasis on behavior change and community sentiment.
- Landing page visits
- Phone and email inquiries
- Patient enrollments
- Community sentiment (measured through geofenced pre/post surveys)
Outcomes
Key Indicators
This campaign has:
- Established APT as a national model for access-first opioid treatment
- Shifted local narratives around addiction and recovery
- Created scalable infrastructure for future outreach
- Demonstrated that marketing—when done with clarity, care, and strategy—can be a life-saving intervention
Conclusion
This is the product of a long-term, strategic partnership between Red Rock Branding and APT Foundation. By laying the groundwork with thoughtful content, accessible design, and authentic storytelling, we were able to deliver a campaign that not only raised awareness—but actively helped connect people to treatment.
It’s a model we believe can scale to other communities—and a clear example of how marketing, when applied strategically, becomes a tool for public health and systems change.
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