Disarming diabetes at a weapons museum

THE CHALLENGE:
Diabetes seems like a low-level threat, especially for millennials.

And yet, pre-diabetes – a warning sign for diabetes – affects 440,000 Singaporeans every year with millennials amongst them.

HPB decided to wake millennials up to the alarming risk of pre-diabetes because if assessed and acted upon early, pre-diabetes can be reversed.

 

THE INSIGHT:
Pre-diabetes often begins from innocuous, harmless habits that many millennials might not even think about.

We turned the seemingly innocuous causes of diabetes into Damien Hirst-worthy work that engages.

 

THE IDEA & EXECUTION:
To communicate just how grave an impact the lesser-known causes of diabetes can have, we built THE MUSEUM OF THE WORLD’S DEADLIEST WEAPONS.

Not for the faint of heart, we created a series of 7 interactive exhibits using these common objects and habits, to highlight how they potentially increase the risk of diabetes.

These installations helped visitors visualise the risks of diabetes in a way they’ve never experienced before. The art of Museum Of The World’s Deadliest Weapons turned it into an Instagrammable spectacle, earning it many more eyeballs beyond just the event’s venue, especially on social media and through mainstream media coverage.

The cautionary experience concludes with a message that all is not lost. If one has pre-diabetes, steps can be taken to reverse the condition. Take the first step to fight back against the risk of diabetes by taking a simple 2-min DRA test online.

 

THE RESULTS:
Right from the start, The Museum Of The World’s Deadliest Weapons was an instant hit, drawing over 1100 visitors on the first day.

With over a million impressions on Facebook and Instagram, it’s received tens of thousands of engagements and reactions.

Many lauded HPB’s efforts to raise their awareness about diabetes.

Senior Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor, weighed in saying “The exhibition is aimed at jolting the public to re-examine any complacent attitudes that they may have about developing pre-diabetes or diabetes. It is meant to be both entertaining and educational and has been designed with a grim twist to highlight the unexpected dangers in our everyday habits and lifestyle choices.” (Straits Times, 30 May 2019)