Be Sound
In 2023, a series of tragic drug-related deaths rocked the Glasgow nightlife scene. SWG3, one of Scotland’s most respected venues, knew it had to act—and quickly. But how do you talk to young clubbers about drug harm without being preachy or patronising? How do you offer support without risking a venue’s licence?
SWG3
SWG3 approached us not just for creative support, but for clarity. How do you communicate life-saving advice without sounding overly preachy? It was also imperative that we honoured the gravity of recent events without fuelling stigma or fear. With just £3.5k allocated to paid media, we offered our time pro bono to design a campaign that wouldn’t just check a box - it needed to land, emotionally and practically.
We knew that traditional “don’t do drugs” messaging wouldn’t work. Instead, we had to speak with the audience, not at them. That meant building trust, testing honestly, and creating something that felt rooted in the culture - not outside of it.
We brought people together - young clubbers, friends, artists - and listened. What emerged was simple, but powerful: for most young people, staying safe was about looking out for each other. Or, in their own words, being sound.
That was our route in.
Visually bold and emotionally grounded, the “Be Sound” campaign ditched tired tropes in favour of clean, high-contrast graphics designed to cut through the noise of a dark, buzzing club. Messaging spanned five key behaviours - from knowing your limits to asking for help - delivered across social, venue posters and a short film.
Routes were tested rigorously, with one clear winner: Be Sound. To yourself. To everyone. It avoided judgement while making the stakes real. Feedback included comments like “That feels like it’s speaking to me” - exactly what we hoped for.
The results:
Reach:
Nearly 1M people, thanks to a CPM 48% better than industry benchmarks.
Sentiment:
Over 95% positive across 7,000+ interactions.
Adoption:
More than 12 major operators across Scotland took the campaign onboard - double our goal.
Impact:
From greater awareness to real behaviour change, follow-up evaluation showed the campaign moved the needle in every category.
We’re not claiming sole credit for a safer clubbing scene. But together with SWG3 and their partners, we helped turn a moment of tragedy into an industry-wide movement.
A grassroots, peer-led campaign that didn’t just talk about harm - it talked about people.