“It’s a Skill to Say No”. Campaign and Creative Concept for CAHIV’s Mobile App
“It’s a skill to say no" is the core message of the prevention campaign we developed for CAHIV’s mobile app ovisnosti.huhiv.hr, created to support young people in making healthier choices and speaking openly about them. The objective was to increase the app’s visibility in the media and reach parents, while engaging young people directly through one-to-one workshops in schools.
The mobile app was developed by the Croatian Association for HIV and Viral Hepatitis (CAHIV), with communication and creative strategy by Karla Andrić (Haiku Communications) and visual identity by Vedran Židanik (Creek&Pine). The campaign reframes addiction prevention, mowing away from fear-based messaging toward empathy and real-life relevance.
From prevention to empowerment
Young people face constant pressure. From peers, social media, and environments that often normalise risky behaviours. The new ovisnosti.huhiv.hr app responds with support, not stigma. Through short educational videos, self-assessments, quizzes, and advice for challenging moments, it helps young people understand their choices and learn practical life skills, such as self-control, boundary-setting, and stress management.
“I knew that simply announcing a new app would likely result in generic media coverage, often illustrated with stock images portraying young people in stereotypical situations of addiction. To avoid reinforcing stigma or moralising, the campaign was designed to reflect real-life choices and everyday pressures. Rather than telling young people how they should behave, the focus was on helping them feel confident in making informed decisions.”
The project was implemented by CAHIV, with support from the Ministry of Health, the City of Zagreb, and mental health and prevention experts. The ovisnosti.huhiv.hr app is free and available on Google Play and the App Store.
