For Singapore’s third Drug Victims Remembrance Day on May 15, Ogilvy Singapore and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) have launched Stories, Unfinished, an integrated public education campaign that shifts the focus and conversation on drug abuse from the individual to the wider circle of lives it disrupts.
Built on the insight that the consequences of drug abuse are often borne quietly by families, friends and loved ones, the campaign is designed to make these often-unseen victims more visible through a connected storytelling experience spanning film, social content and live interaction.
At the heart of the campaign is Stories, Unfinished, a short film following the fictional story of Ryan before and after drug abuse, tracing how his choices fracture relationships, alter futures and leave meaningful moments unresolved. This story then extends into three teaser films told from the perspectives of Ryan’s best friend, girlfriend and mother, offering audiences a more intimate view of the emotional ripple effects that drug abuse leaves behind.
The emotional journey moves from screen to space through “The Library of Stories, Unfinished”, an immersive public exhibition at Suntec City Level 1 Atrium (Convention Centre) from May 15 to 17. Visitors can experience three immersive room sets, Stadium, Café, and Dining Room, inspired by the campaign film. Each room set brings to life a cherished memory now overshadowed by the pain of drug abuse, with actors portraying these deeply personal stories. Visitors are invited to engage with the characters in each space, ask questions, listen to their experiences, or simply spend a moment with them.
By combining narrative, spatial design and public participation, the campaign aims to transform anti-drug education from one-way messaging to a more empathetic and memorable experience – one that invites Singaporeans not only to understand the issue, but to feel its human consequences.
Beyond the immersive rooms the exhibition brings together real-life stories in Real People, Real Stories, research-based information in The Reference Collection and family-friendly learning experiences in the Children’s Section to broaden the understanding of drug harm at the personal and societal levels. Together, these elements position the exhibition not simply as an installation, but as a living archive of the emotional, physical and societal consequences of drugs.
Other sections broaden the narrative from individual impact to societal consequence. The Periodicals Collection: The Collateral Damage of Drugs features reports on the violence and devastation that can follow drug abuse and addiction. Weighing The Deals explores the mindset of drug dealers — what motivated them then, and for those who have left their old lives behind, what motivates them now. Addicted: A Dark World of Illicit Drugs invites visitors to look into the hidden harms and societal consequences faced by communities affected by youth drug addiction. The exhibition also places the issue in a regional context through the ASEAN Collection: United Against Drugs, which spotlights how ASEAN Member States are responding to the drug problem through prevention campaigns, enforcement and rehabilitation programs.
For Singapore, Drug Victims Remembrance Day serves as a reminder of the far-reaching harms of drug abuse, and the collective responsibility needed to keep our society drug-free.
“It is our endeavor to present the gravity of the drug issue truthfully, from the effects of abuse on an individual to how loved ones and the wider community are affected. Our selection of content for the pop-up library, from biographies to news articles, is curated to help visitors understand this. The campaign narrative itself explores the complex emotions victims of drug abuse may experience, and presents these through participatory interaction with live performers on set. Through ‘Stories, Unfinished’, we hope to help Singaporeans reflect on the profound impact that drug abuse has and on our role as conscious members of society too,” said Audrey Ang, Director of Communications, CNB.
For Ogilvy, the creative opportunity was to move the conversation from passive awareness to emotional participation.
“Public education messages are often communicated through facts, warnings or enforcement. They can sometimes be heard but not deeply felt. With “Stories, Unfinished”, we wanted to create an experience that shifts audiences from passive awareness to emotional understanding by showing not just what drug abuse does to a person, but what it leaves unresolved for everyone around them, By unfolding the story across film, social perspectives and physical space, we hope to make that ripple effect more immediate, human and lasting,” said Troy Lim, Group Creative Director, Ogilvy Singapore.
“The Library of Stories, Unfinished” will open to the public from 15 to 17 May 2026 at Suntec City Atrium, with free admission. Pop-up installations will subsequently travel across various heartland locations from 23 May to 27 June 2026, extending the campaign’s reach beyond the main exhibition.
CREDITS
Client: Central Narcotics Bureau
Director, Communications Division: Audrey Ang
Deputy Director, Partnership & Outreach, Communications Division: Kaye Chow
Assistant Director, Outreach, Communications Division: Lydia Kung
Manager, Outreach, Communications Division: Rachel Tan
Senior Executive, Outreach, Communications Division: Bellamy Leong
Senior Manager, Community Partnership, Communications Division: Melissa Teh
Manager, Planning & Development, Communications Division: Angie Poh
Integrated Creative Agency: Ogilvy Singapore
Chief Executive Officer: Shirley Tay
Group Creative Director: Troy Lim
Creative Director: Erwin Nah
Associate Creative Director: Melvin Poon
Senior Art Director: Tan Qianhui
Copywriter: Gerard Nadaisson
Senior Strategist: Zhang Wei Tian
Director & Head of Social@Ogilvy: Paolo Alvarez
Account Director, PR & Influence: Ada Tong
Associate Account Director: Joshua Yeung
Senior Account Manager: Crystal Han
Manager, PR & Influence: Madeline Tan
Senior Associate, PR & Influence: Natasha Loh
Assistant, PR & Influence: Megan Yeo
Operations Director: Kong Lee Choo
Agency Producer: Shafie Muhd
Senior FA Artist: Marq Wong
Partner Agency
Event Agency: Motion: For Impact
Senior Producer: Angelin Chua
Executive Producer: Hajar Manaf
Creative Director: Jastin Wong
Creative Producer: Nahlah Alsree
Producer: Ira Noorman
Production Director: Fazly Zainodin
Production Lead: Ang Wei Si
Senior Event Executive: Darelene Tan
Event Executive: Eudora Rusli
Production Partner: Very Crafty Films
Executive Producer: Daniaal Adam
Producer: Janellia Kwan
Director: Gavril Hing
Assistant Director: Carl Siahaan
Director of Photography: Alan Yap
Production Designer: Chris Koh
Gaffer: Ben Ong
Stylist: Syaf Amis’aabudin
MUA: Wu Yiqing
Production Manager: Emily Teng
