Challenge:

Teens in our state are vaping nicotine at twice the national average – the highest of all 37 states surveyed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While only 7 percent of high school students currently smoke cigarettes, one in four Colorado adolescents vapes nicotine – sometimes known as JUULing.

Then-Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado energetically engaged in the issue, eager to shed the state’s dubious distinction and protect the health of kids.

It was a disturbingly familiar story – an industry addicts youth through marketing tricks to hook the next generation of customers. It was time to amplify the voices of youth who refuse to be manipulated by these “vape tricks.”

Approach:

SE2 conceived of an event that would do more than fill an auditorium for a single day. It would give teens a visible platform to speak out — and generate immediate statewide attention around youth vaping.

Imagine 250 freshmen packed into the auditorium at Denver South High School, energized by performances from the drum line, cheerleaders, and dance team. More than 50 handmade posters dotted the crowd — #NoMoreVapeTricks, No Pods for My Squad, Don’t Cloud My Future. Former Gov. Hickenlooper joined student leaders at the podium, speaking not only to the teens in the room but to a throng of reporters and cameras capturing the moment.

The rally created strong earned media coverage and positioned youth as credible, authentic messengers in the prevention conversation.

At the same time, SE2 advanced a complementary multimedia prevention strategy designed to reach young people and the adults in their lives wherever they were — in schools, online, and in their communities.

Video storytelling played a central role. Separate from the event, SE2 developed compelling video content that elevated youth perspectives, addressed common myths about vaping, and modeled refusal and resilience. These videos were deployed across social media platforms and digital channels to sustain awareness and reinforce prevention norms beyond a single moment in time.

School-based advertising extended the message directly into student environments, placing prevention messaging in hallways and shared spaces where it could influence daily decision-making. Meanwhile, a customizable toolkit equipped local partners with ready-to-use materials — social posts, graphics, messaging guidance, and outreach assets — enabling consistent messaging across communities statewide.

Together, the live event and the broader multimedia campaign created layered reinforcement. The rally generated visibility and urgency. The videos, social media, school placements, and partner toolkit sustained reach and deepened engagement. By combining youth-led visibility with strategic media execution, SE2 helped ensure vape prevention messaging was not confined to one stage or one day — but echoed across platforms and throughout Colorado communities.