The US has faced waves of drug epidemics over the years. The more recent ‘fourth wave’ of the opioid epidemic has been driven by fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than morphine and heroin. In 2010, less than 10% of overdose-related deaths in the US were connected to fentanyl, but by 2021, that proportion rose to over 66%.

Drug safety brand Overdrive has launched in the US with a new line of fentanyl test kits, which detect fentanyl – often laced in other substances – in the hopes of reducing harm and ultimately deaths. The brand has been spearheaded by Brian Bordainick, the founder behind companies like Starface, which turned blemishes from something to disguise to something to accessorise.

Similar to Starface’s strategy, the Overdrive fentanyl kits have no intention of being discreet, with their eye-catching product packaging. Overdrive’s identity has been led by brand and creative lead Ryan Weaver, who says inspiration came in part from safe sex marketing in the 80s and 90s (the branding also feels in keeping with Uncommon’s more recent creative direction for the Sex Brand’s condom packaging).

American symbolism was another key part of the brand, given fentanyl has very much become an “American problem”, he explains. This is channelled in the stars and stripes scattered across the identity, as well as the eagle logo – a motif that also represents strength and freedom, he explains.

“A lot of what we’re trying to do is not to limit who we’re talking to and acknowledge people who use hard drugs, a group that often isn’t spoken to in a way that actually acknowledges them as people. We’re not here to push abstaining from drug use, but we are here to protect the people who do use drugs.”

Weaver explains that the team wanted the brand to feel more like an energy drink rather than a “sterile medical brand”, and created a logo they felt could slot seamlessly into spaces like Nascar or UFC, where you don’t necessarily expect to see medical products.

“As for colours, we riffed on cautionary shades and symbols that have a party connotation. The main colour is Safety Orange, which grabs attention and alerts you, and the signature texture we use is diamond tread. We’re working to make the diamond tread a signature technical element for the brand because it appears in hard, protective settings. We took traditional safety symbols and gave them a streetwear twist.”

 

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While product packaging and design play a big role in how Overdrive comes across, its strategy is described as “content-first (product second)”, according to the brand. Some people may see its bold content and language as normalising or even endorsing drugs, but Weaver explains that it’s about safety rather than eradication.

“There are years of really specific don’t-do-drugs messages that we come up against and are the social norm. First and foremost, we have to show Overdrive’s values and gain trust, which we do by creating content that people will think is dope but without telling them what to do. If we’re successful, we can count on consumers to take steps towards us on their own.”

@overdrivedefense