Dry January is C0,0L :
Making sobriety feel like a choice, not a sacrifice
Campaign Strategy, Graphic Design, Illustration
Alcohol campaigns usually fail in one of two ways: they lecture, or they show the very thing they warn against. Commissioned by Forum Prävention and the province of Bolzano/Alto Adige, we created a PR campaign that educates people about alcohol-related risks and invites them to try 30 days alcohol-free. In a region where drinking is woven into social life, the creative team at zukunvt had to answer a few hard questions:
how do we make an alcohol-free challenge feel cool rather than restrictive, how do we reach a diverse audience beyond those who see themselves as having a “problem,” and how do we talk about alcohol without depicting it?
I personified the positive effects of an alcohol-free lifestyle through bold, playful characters and abstract forms.
I created the illustrations that carry this strategy, including a series built around nine reasons why 30 alcohol-free days do you good. Rather than drawing drinks, I personified the benefits through bold, playful characters and abstract forms, so the campaign never reinforces what it asks people to step away from. Expressive poses communicate joy and clarity before the message is even read, and a diverse cast keeps it relatable to all ages.
The illustrations ran across posters and postcards distributed to schools, clinics and pharmacies, as well as digital channels.
The strategy:
Shift the story from what you give up to what you gain.
Instead of centering the campaign on alcohol or its substitutes, we centered it on the experience of the 30 days, including clarity, energy, confidence, and connection. The tone had to be an invitation rather than a warning, so people could opt in without feeling judged. That decision became the visual brief.
Mental Clarity
Self Love
Self Reflection
Gaining Time
Broadening your Horizon
Physical Health
Role Model
Experimentation
Road Safety
The result was a cohesive visual language that giave the campaign an uplifting, approachable identity and supported its goal of building community and pointing people toward resources during the 30 days.
Impact
The illustrations ran across posters and postcards distributed to schools, clinics and pharmacies, as well as digital channels. The combined December pre-campaign and January main campaign reached over 659,000 Meta accounts, and participation in the campaign’s Dry January app grew 20% over the previous year.
Source: C0,0L Dry January Challenge Abschlussreport 2025 (Forum Prävention, PDF, German)
Creative direction: zukunvt