We knew that clarity was key. To ensure our videos resonated, we took a strategic approach to language, stripping away complicated terms and replacing them with everyday words. We focused on real-world scenarios to illustrate key concepts, helping people see how coverage decisions impact their lives.  

Visual storytelling played a crucial role, with engaging animations and clear step-by-step breakdowns that guide viewers through essential information. 

By simplifying language and presenting information in a digestible format, our explainer videos are empowering individuals to make more informed health care choices. Viewers reported feeling more confident in understanding their options and taking the next steps in their coverage decisions. 

The team at the Division of Insurance reports that the video series has been wildly popular and very useful in helping educate Coloradans about available health insurance options.  

The Division’s Assistant Commissioner for Communications and Outreach says: “Working with SE2 was a fantastic experience. The team knows video making. And not just the technical components of putting it together, but they understand the importance of working with the client to grasp the key messages and develop those into easy-to-understand images and words (both text and audio). The team is willing to take the time to work through drafts, edits and reviews to get things right. And, in the end, matching their understanding of communicating with their technical knowledge produces a beautiful result.” 

Rather than relying solely on traditional public awareness channels, we worked closely with trusted messengers—community leaders, local organizations, and grassroots advocates—to share information about 988 in ways that resonated with their communities.  

This strategy helped address key barriers by: 

• Reducing Stigma: Encouraging open conversations about mental health within communities where seeking help might be seen as a sign of weakness. 
• Building Trust: Leveraging the credibility of local leaders and organizations to deliver information in culturally relevant ways. 
• Improving Accessibility: Providing multilingual materials and outreach efforts to ensure that language was not a barrier to accessing 988. 
• Clarifying Misconceptions: Addressing fears about law enforcement involvement and emphasizing the confidential and supportive nature of the service. 

Using our SE2 PowerMap™ approach, we engaged 43 partners across the state to raise awareness of 988 through digital media and over 172 local events.  

By meeting people where they are and using voices they trust, the campaign has successfully expanded access to mental health support, particularly among communities that have historically underutilized these services. 

Through our statewide network we had meaningful conversations with over 32,000 Coloradans and reached another 70,000 individuals through online platforms, leading to significant, positive changes in awareness and perceptions about 988.  

The strategy was so effective that SE2 has been engaged to continue and expand this work in 2025 and beyond.    

The Colorado Department of Law’s Opioid Response Unit engaged SE2 to develop and launch the Connect Effect campaign to harness the protective power of peer and lore ipsum delore est adult connections and highlight positive social norms.

The campaign emphasizes that a vast majority of Colorado teens are making healthy choices and are willing to protect their friends from potential dangers. Key components of the approach include:

• Highlighting Positive Statistics: Promoting data that shows 87% of Colorado teens would intervene to stop a friend from taking a pill not prescribed to them, reinforcing that these protective behaviors are the norm.
• Educational Resources: Providing accessible information about the risks of fentanyl, recognizing signs of an overdose, and the life-saving potential of naloxone (known by the brand name Narcan).
• Facilitating Open Dialogue: Offering guidance for parents and other trusted adults on how to engage in meaningful conversations with teens about substance misuse and peer pressure.
• Multilingual Support: Ensuring parent resources are available in both English and Spanish to reach a broad audience.

A statewide paid media campaign used social, digital, and targeted out-of-home placements in schools and community centers. Using our SE2 PowerMap™ process, we engaged our network of community partners to disseminate campaign messages (e.g., inserting Connect Effect content into their newsletters and social media channels), hanging materials throughout their facilities, and speaking about the campaign in presentations and trainings.

Since its inception, the Connect Effect campaign has made significant strides in reshaping perceptions and behaviors:

• Increased Awareness and Engagement: Teens and parents report a heightened understanding of the dangers associated with counterfeit pills and the prevalence of fentanyl. Third-party evaluation showed that in just 12 weeks, nearly three out of five Colorado teens were aware of the campaign. Additionally, the campaign strongly resonated with key audiences, achieving a click-through rate six times higher than industry benchmarks.
• Strengthened Community Bonds: The campaign has fostered stronger connections between youth, their peers, and adults, creating a supportive network that encourages healthy decision making. In addition to activating our network of statewide
•  partners, six regions adopted and amplified the campaign in communities across the state.

By equipping individuals with knowledge and resources, the campaign has empowered Coloradans to act confidently in preventing potential overdoses and supporting their communities.