The Open Society Foundations (OSF) is committed to building “vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens.” A few years ago, they reached out to Signals because of our long history of advocating for minority rights including supporting people with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities and people with mental health and addictions issues. They also saw our creative work and realized they had a partner with equal parts talent and commitment. Together, the OSF and Signals have built international campaigns that use a mix of print and interactive media to mobilize communities and make change around the world.
Some of the work we’ve completed for the Open Society Foundations includes very specific knowledge translation assignments. Our campaign to promote naloxone (an opioid antidote) was aimed at educating community health workers on how to set up a naloxone program for their community. Unveiled at a huge international conference in Eastern Europe, the bilingual website (English/Russian) and accompanying education materials were embraced by health workers from around the world.
Designing infographics is another technique that Signals deployed for the Open Society Foundations to communicate their messages. Clear, strong and sometimes jarring data visualizations help to convey the disparities that are often at the root of human rights issues. At a glance, the audience can grasp the enormity and seriousness of the problem and be led towards actions that can help.
