The Missing Issue

Creative idea

For decades, celebrity magazines have sensationalized drug use, supercharging the stigma against people who use them. However, new research shows that nearly 50% of drug use is driven by underlying mental health issues, like depression, anxiety and ADHD. With this knowledge in hand, Us Weekly sought to reform their approach, hoping to spur a wider change in the media. In partnership with the harris project, the only nonprofit dedicated to illuminating this connection, Us Weekly launched The Missing Issue: a special edition rewriting their past sensationalist substance misuse stories to capture the mental health story that was originally missed.

Brand name: Us Weekly x the harris project
Advertiser / client: Us Weekly x the harris project
Product / service: Magazine
Campaign name: You Don’t Know The Half of It
Agency network: HAVAS
Agency: Havas NY, New York
Web address: https://www.usmagazine.com/themissingissue/
Agency chief executive officer: Sarah Collinson, Dan Lucey
Chief creative officer: Dan Lucey
Executive creative director: Tyronne Schaffer
Creative director: Lindsey Rock
Art director: Camille Walker
Copywriter: Caroline Walker
Designer: Nazly Kim & Liberty Leben
Strategic planner / strategist: Colleen Hartnett
Pr director: Jamie Caserola
Music: Duotone Audio Group
Agency producer: Josh Kornrich
Post production: Final Cut
Post production producer: Sarah Roebuck
Additional company: Editor-in-chief, Us Weekly: Dan Wakeford Founder, the harris project: Stephanie Marquesano Chief Strategy Officer: Justine Feron Production Officer: Melissa Tifrere Editor: Spencer Campbell Asst Editor: Jackie Tullie Music Producer: Ross Hopman Sr. Music Producer: Giovonni Lobato EVP, Comms Strategy: Jess Sheehan Chief Creative Officer: Jarrod Walpert Associate Director: Celine McGoran Sr. Acct Exec: Mikayla Murphy Group Creative Director: Vidhi Shah