A social norms campaign encouraging honest conversations
What the Flock is a creative substance misuse prevention campaign designed to challenge misconceptions about alcohol and drug use among students.
Commissioned by Leeds Universities’ Substance Misuse Group, NHS Leeds, the campaign used a social norms approach to highlight the difference between what students think their peers are doing and the reality of their behaviour.
The aim was simple: to share the truth about student lifestyles in a way that was engaging, evidence-based, and relatable.
Date
October 2010
Client
Leeds Universities’ Substance Misuse Group, NHS Leeds
Scope of work
- Brand development & visual identity
- Campaign development & activation
- Co-production, engagement and community representation
Understanding the challenge of youth substance misuse
Research revealed that students often overestimate how many of their peers use drugs or drink heavily.
These misconceptions can influence personal behaviour, creating unnecessary social pressure. This insight underlines the importance of a well-structured youth substance misuse prevention campaign to address these issues effectively.
Magpie’s task was to correct those norms – and do it in a way that students would listen to, trust, and share.


We worked collaboratively with students from three Leeds universities to test ideas, tone, and creative concepts.
Our approach blended behavioural insight, co-production, and creativity, ensuring every element felt authentic to campus life.
Key Stages of Delivery
- Research and insight – focus groups explored attitudes, motivations, and campus culture.
-
Creative development – students shaped the name, tone and visual identity.
-
Implementation – phased bursts of short, attention-grabbing digital and on-campus content created sustained engagement throughout the year.
The three-stage campaign was designed to create momentum, build familiarity, and maintain credibility through real student voices.
A strong brand identity
Our aim was to create a bold, memorable brand that could be used digitally, in print, and in a guerrilla-style way across campus.
During the initial launch, the brand appeared in unexpected places to grab attention and spark conversation.
The design was deliberately fun and playful, ensuring students would engage with it – and that student unions and brand managers could adopt and develop it in future years.
The brand, What the Flock, was displayed using black and white to stand out against the visual noise of campus communications, keep costs low, and give the campaign an ‘underground’ aesthetic.
We wanted the campaign to feel like it came from students, not from a health organisation or authority figure.
To evaluate success, we used measurable communication channels to track interaction and effectiveness, informing improvements for future years.
Alongside digital engagement, we also used ambient media to make the campaign visible in unexpected spaces – helping What the Flock? gather a strong following and become a recognisable student movement.
Impact and engagement
Through a mix of digital measurement, peer-led promotion, and creative activation, What the Flock achieved strong reach, visibility, and sustained relevance across three university cohorts.
The results spoke for themselves:
17,000
students visited whattheflock.org.uk during the three-week teaser and launch
1,153
Facebook followers joined the campaign community, creating a ready-made audience for future communication.
3,296
students visited the site in a single evening following launch – showing the buzz and curiosity the campaign created.
Want to explore how creative behaviour change can help your community make healthier choices?
Get in touch to start a conversation with our team.
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