Description:

Aotearoa has seen an increase in vaping use by rangatahi, with survey data revealing between 2019 and 2021, the percentage of young people vaping daily more than tripled.

In collaboration with our team of co-designers, the Hā Collective, and partners Te Whatu Ora, we created Protect Your Breath – a campaign that aims to reduce vaping harm for young people by anchoring itself in the realities and ideas of rangatahi.

The campaign centres the power of hā – our breath. It seeks to offer young people a moment to become mindful of their breath, encourages rangatahi to reflect on their values and build confidence in the choices they make.

Punitive messaging rarely holds effectiveness or impact for young people, so the campaign takes a non-judgmental approach and supports critical decision-making.

Recently, we have extended the campaign to a playful real-world experience with the Later Vaper Arcade, a playful pop-up that is hosted in various locations across the motu.

The experience is a bright, bold and unmissable interactive space that purposely piques curiosity of the passer-by and draws them in. Once inside, participants are challenged with fun games that metaphorically reference breath and fresh air, and playfully posit thought starters about vaping and its effects. As people move through the experience they actively gather provocations and takeaways that help them to reframe their thinking on vape use.

The vivid brand is brought into the design of the space. Bright colour, fabrication and bold typographic skins combine to enhance our health messaging and create the feel of an Instagram trap – a space for moments our young people want to share.

The sequencing of games follows a strong narrative – from checking in with yourself, connecting to your breath, thinking about how it fuels you, finding an opportunity to find balance through breath, and using the power of play to manage stress.

Layered into this narrative is a foundational cultural framework, linking each of our games and messages to Māori conceptions of hā, progressing through: hā, au, hau and hauhā. This creates a metaphorical foundation that speaks to the breathing cycle: the power of breath, the vital essence within us, strength in self, and the value of play and release.

The impact of the Later Vaper Arcade has been evident in responses from rangatahi and whānau. Participants are highly engaged, spending an average of 15 minutes with activities and health messages. Participants' comments are full of curiosity and reflection, such as:

“The actual installation was awesome, it really felt like the design was drawing people in, people were listening and paying attention when they were having the games explained and the meaning behind them.”

The campaign has also contributed to reports of a decrease in regular vaping. The ASH Y10 Snapshot Survey, November 2023 indicated a downward trend in ‘daily youth vaping rates’. ‘Regular vaping’ and ‘ever tried’ vaping decreased by a statistically significant amount for most population groups of young people.

The Later Vaper Arcade is truly a breath of fresh air to reduce vaping harm.