ReWired

Supporting gay and bisexual men
ReWired is a support and education programme for gay and bisexual men who use methamphetamine to enhance sex – sometimes referred to as Chemsex or Party N Play (PnP). A collaboration between the NZ Drug Foundation, Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, Body Positive, Odyssey, and lived experience leaders, ReWired came to us ready to explore opportunities to develop and scale their service. The brand needed to reach and resonate with the men most needing support – and better reflect the unique ReWired experience.

Non-judgmental kōrero
In our learning phase we worked closely with the core ReWired team. We reviewed existing research and lived-experience stories, and began to identify core audience groups. 

We heard that shame and secrecy surrounding some experiences can leave men without support when they need it most. Key to ReWired’s success is the non-judgmental space it creates for open and honest conversation. Attendees connect through shared experience – exploring far more than their meth use. Together they discuss intimacy, loneliness, desire, body image, and more… complex themes that many found difficult to talk about previously.

No party poopers
Men beginning to question their relationship with PnP often have concerns about seeking ReWired’s support. Fears of being misunderstood, judged, forced into treatment, or pushed to give up PnP altogether were all important to address. To combat these worries, our brand strategy anchored itself in three pillars – communicating the essence of ReWired: 

By the community, for the community
ReWired is a community initiative. It’s a safe, judgement-free space where participants can share whatever they want to. The only people in the room are people who get it. 

More fun, less risk
ReWired doesn’t pretend PnP isn’t fun, and they don’t force participants to stop. This is all about finding a safer, more pleasurable relationship with PnP.

Space to check-in
ReWired creates an opportunity for men to reflect on their relationship with PnP. The team help participants know themselves and find the boundaries that work for them.

While representing the fundamentals of the ReWired experience, the brand also needed to feel at home in media environments unique to men who have sex with men, including online channels and hook-up sites.

Shifting focus
Participants’ shifting relationships with PnP provided inspiration for the core essence of the brand. The logo moves in and out of focus, nodding to the buzzed feeling of drug use and a desire for clarity. It subtly separates ‘Re’ from ‘Wired’, bringing emphasis to the sharpened focus participants experience. Underpinning the brand is a grid of connection points – a key graphic device for the brand that speaks to the concept of an open space in which pathways and connections can be formed.

Colour plays a big part in the brand and is applied to a bespoke photo library that was captured in collaboration with an intimacy coordinator and the queer community. The hyper-treatment of the imagery reflects the intensity and pleasure of the PnP world – the shots feel raw, active and unstaged. The imagery also plays with ambiguity and anonymity, allowing the viewer to project themselves into the space.

Impact
ReWired continues to provide a service unlike any other in the health promotion space. This is now reflected in the brand itself, helping to encourage men who have sex with men who use methamphetamine to enhance sex, into judgement-free conversations to support their safety and wellbeing. The feedback on the brand and website that has come through from the community indicates that they feel seen, understood and welcome right from their first engagement with the brand and messaging.