The Media Lab breaks silence on gambling

The Media Lab has launched a campaign with Health NZ and Asian Family Services to tackle gambling stigma in Asian communities.

With over 70,000 Asian New Zealanders affected and a 9.5 times higher risk of severe harm than the national average, the campaign goes beyond traditional strategies to spark conversaitons around the dining table.

Let food carry the message

The Media Lab used food to carry the message because “across Asian communities, meals are more than sustenance, they’re social rituals, emotional anchors and trusted spaces for storytelling,” says co-founder Antony Young.

“In many ways, the dinner table is the original social media platform. Whether it’s Taiwanese dumplings, Thai Pad See Ew, or Kashmiri Rogan Josh, food serves as a powerful cultural and emotional touchpoint.”

The campaign’s creative platform, ‘They bet on you staying silent,’ exposes the gambling industry’s $ 100 million marketing machine, including apps, SMS, influencers and TV sponsorships.

Designed by Vincent Lowe, the campaign shifts blame from individuals back to the gambling industry, encouraging those affected to break their silence.

Woven into everyday life

The campaign’s messaging is woven into everyday food environments across major cities.

Tailored placements appear in Asian restaurants – on menus, walls, payment cards and doors. Printed chopsticks are distributed in takeaways, and custom fortune cookies include discreet gambling awareness messages.

The creative is amplified with outdoor billboards near SkyCity and Christchurch Casino, as well as in key Asian dining areas like Dominion Road and Upper Queen Street in Auckland, and Courtney Place and Tory Street in Wellington.

It is also supported on social media platforms including WeChat, Meta and LinkedIn.

Break down the stigma

The Media Lab’s planning director Gabrielle Wong says: “By placing our campaign in these everyday food settings the campaign aims to help normalise the conversation around gambling harm and break down stigma in a way that feels organic, respectful and non-intrusive.”

To boost visibility, The Media Lab and client pitched the campaign to mainstream and Asian press for support. Since then, Asian Family Services, which provides gambling harm support, has been inundated with calls and seen a significant increase in inquiries.

Kelly Feng, Asian Family Services’ chief executive, says: “Our message is clear: break the silence – no one should have to struggle alone or in silence. By raising awareness, we aim to break down these barriers and foster timely access to support.”

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