A new GambleAware special build from Lucky Generals has launched in Birmingham, featuring a state-of-the-art Perspex board that fills with smoke.
The Perspex box features a poster which reads “Gambling clouded everything I did”. The smoke gradually obscures the text to replicate the feelings of distraction and isolation that gambling can cause.
The piece follows on from a host of new assets released as part of wider campaign activity, including animated DOOH assets evoking ’emptiness’ with liquid appearing to drain out of a billboard, all designed to convey real life emotions felt by those experiencing gambling harms.
Birmingham was chosen due to its levels of problem gambling, with 38,000 adults in Birmingham affected – 55% higher than the Great Britain average. The campaign is supported by a range of voices including ex-Stoke City player Tony Kelly.
Figures show that the first wave of the GambleAware campaign, which was jointly created with freuds+ and OmniGov, saw more than 8,000 people contact the National Gambling helpline during the campaign period, a 9% uplift.
Both campaigns followed research from the Treatment and Support survey, which revealed that 75% of people experiencing “problem gambling” feel like they can’t open up about the issue.
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“Our work with GambleAware has always been based on speaking to people with lived experience of gambling harms,” said Lucky Generals creative directors, Nick Bird and Lee Smith.
“One of the key difficulties that came up repeatedly was how gambling harms cloud every aspect of someone’s life. We wanted to find a way to bring to life that feeling in a disruptive and visually arresting way.”
GambleAware chief communications officer Alexia Clifford added: “Gambling can be addictive, and gambling harm can happen to anyone. That’s why our stigma campaign is so important, and we’re really proud of the positive impact this work has already had.”
“This latest phase in Birmingham will build on that success and encourage anyone worried about how gambling makes them feel to reach out for free help and support available by searching GambleAware.”
