Idea Engineering was asked to create fentanyl prevention messaging to warn teens and young adults about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. In response, we created a ground-breaking video and accompanying 30-second spot that uses the technique of “breaking the fourth wall” and is a video of a young adult making his own video to warn his peers about fake pills, based on his own reflections and regret over losing a friend to a fentanyl overdose. Additional Speak Up! videos focused on meth prevention in response to increasing overdose deaths involving both meth and fentanyl.
Client:
Ventura County Behavioral Health
Industry:
Government & Public Health
Topic:
Fentanyl & Fake Pills
Services:
Campaign Development
Video Production
Advertising & Communications
Localization & Translation
Focus Groups
Story:
Speak Up on Fentanyl!
Idea Engineering was asked to create fentanyl prevention messaging to warn teens and young adults about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. This age demographic is notoriously difficult to reach. Additionally, overcoming the risk-taking and experimentation that is inherent at this age and the reflexive opposition to being told what to do meant that the messaging needed to be both compelling and devoid of the imprint of “authority.”
Between 2015 and 2022 the unintentional fatal overdose rates for young people aged 15-19 more than doubled.
Unintentional Drug Overdose Death Rates Among US Youth Aged 15-19, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov).
In response, we created a ground-breaking video and accompanying 30-second spot that uses the technique of “breaking the fourth wall” and is a video of a young adult making his own video to warn his peers about fake pills, based on his own reflections and regret over losing a friend to a fentanyl overdose.
The video carefully does not tell anyone what they should do, but instead focuses on the decision of Carlos to speak up if he again sees pills being passed around.
The videos were shot in both English and Spanish. Focus groups were held with local high-school and college students throughout the campaign development process.
English 30-second spot
Spanish full-length video
Speak Up on Meth!
After the strong reception to the first video and as part of the original plan, a subsequent video was made as a sequel. The same young adult, “Carlos” talks about making another video to share with his viewers what he has found out about the dangers of Meth.
English full-length spot
Spanish full-length spot
Approach
Create a video campaign for use across multiple channels, which:
Shares key risk info in a compelling digital message
Emphasizes the local synthetic drug risk, but is “non-judgmental”
Affects audience knowledge, beliefs, and behavioral intent
Call to action: Now that you know, what will you do?
Relational Insights
Reflexive opposition : Separate the issue from the person
Identity upgrade : An invitation to be a hero
Peer intervention : Someone cooler than me thinks this is uncool
Young people do not have short attention spans
Don’t tell teens what to do. Show them what peers did
Community Input
Youth surveys and focus groups, in English & Spanish
Results
36% DECREASE in fentanyl overdose deaths 2023 to 2024 Which is 50% greater decrease than national average
Evaluation
Changes in behavioral intent after exposure to campaign:
Definitely will speak up about risks associated with opioid use – 275% increase
Definitely will be more careful when using drugs – 23% increase
Definitely will commit to not using illegal drugs – 12.5% increase
“…the decrease in deaths is likely attributable to public health measures such as education campaigns and the increased availability of naloxone…” — Captain Ron Chips, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, in the Ventura County Star, January 2025
In addition to custom campaigns, Idea Engineering's award-winning team builds complete, customized turn-key campaigns that can be deployed immediately and used in their entirety or as separate building blocks as budget and goals dictate.
Our Turn-Key Campaigns bring together expert research and best practices – combined with our broad experience in branding, positioning and strategic communications – to develop relevant and effective campaigns on critical issues facing our communities.
Idea Engineering’s “Fentanyl is Forever” campaign targets a broad swath of demographics to spread knowledge of the threat of fentanyl to communities across our nation. Our goal is to make people aware and averse to street fentanyl and to seek out local resources for help.
