This is a six (and a ½!) part series which breaks down the different elements featured in “Made To Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath.
Data tells a story that is CREDIBLE. Here is one:
Over 2.5 million Americans are addicted to opioids.*
72,000 people in the country die every year from opioid addiction.*
Ohio is one of the states hit the hardest with 5,000 to 6,000 people dying each year from opioid overdoses.
o In one year, over 1 BILLION opioid pills were prescribed in Ohio.*
o That is the equivalent of 69 pills per man, woman and child.*
o The crisis has cost the state of Ohio $8.8 billion dollars a year.**
In Kermit, West Virginia a town of 400 people, 9 million pills were delivered to ONE pharmacy in town.*
Without providing more data or more narrative, do you already have a sense of the story?
(It was presented in a story about a pending lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors.)
Data provides credibility. That’s why it is sticky.
But remember – accuracy is key! Double check the data you are presenting and credit your sources! Here are mine:
*CBS 60 Minutes **Dayton Daily News