Gambling should not become a tragedy

Just one more time: according to one estimate, there are around 120,000 people in Switzerland who are addicted to gambling. Their hope that the next and "last" time they will finally win the big one has driven many of them into debt, led to social decline or even resulted in mental illness. 16 German-speaking cantons in Switzerland have now joined forces to draw attention to the dangers of addiction to gambling and to offer initial help. In addition to educational information, the program includes a helpline and anonymous online advice. A pitch has been invited for a prevention campaign and the communication of these support services. Three agencies took part. The cR Basel team won the creative poker game and is now laying its cards on the table.

From mid-March, the message "Gambling without addiction" will be conveyed with a total of eight posters, primarily via illuminated poster sites and on the SOS Gambling Addiction website. The aim is to raise public awareness of the existence of gambling addiction and what those affected and their families can do to combat it. The campaign is financed by proceeds from the state lottery. Thomas Fux, who together with Daniel Bürgi is responsible for the strategy and advice for the campaign, is pleased with the consensus that 16 different cantons were able to come up with a common idea.

Poster as a basic medium

Together with cR Basel, they didn't want a "shock campaign" that would give those affected a warning finger. "We wanted to reduce the fear of counseling," explains Fux. Because the target audience is very heterogeneous and, with casino visitors, internet gamblers, lottery junkies and suave poker players, is spread across a wide range of social classes, it was not only necessary to find an approach that could be understood everywhere. It was also important not to spread the limited budget across too many media channels - and still be able to reach everyone. Of course, in-game advertising, for example, would have been attractive. But only for one of the target groups.

The solution now lies in the poster as a basic medium. The messages can be specifically placed in the vicinity of relevant locations. For the design, the team led by CD Gabriel Heuberger chose the glowing illusionary world of neon signs, as seen in the gambling paradise of Las Vegas. With such typography and the slogans "Game over" or "Rien ne va plus", it is hoped that the necessary subliminal attention can be achieved immediately among gambling enthusiasts. The consistent design is also intended to give the campaign a "brand character". In this case, the product is an "offer of freedom from constraints". This is communicated with the claim "Playing without addiction".

Andreas Panzeri