Drake Cooper has unveiled a new installment of its acclaimed fentanyl awareness initiative, “All It Takes is Everything,” for the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, continuing a campaign that has become one of the more effective examples of purpose-driven public service advertising in recent years.
Now in its third year, the campaign has already generated measurable impact in Idaho, with officials citing increased awareness and a reported 7.81% reduction in overdose deaths during its first year.
Rather than relying on graphic imagery or fear-based tactics commonly associated with anti-drug campaigns, the latest work continues Drake Cooper’s restrained, human-centered approach. This year’s creative centers around a deceptively simple concept: pause.
Built around the new line “Pause because fentanyl doesn’t play,” the campaign urges audiences to stop and think before taking pills or substances that may unknowingly contain fentanyl, emphasizing the alarming statistic that roughly half of illicit fentanyl pills may contain a potentially lethal dose.
“By sharing with Idahoans the information they need to recognize the dangers of fentanyl, we are helping prevent tragedies before they happen,” said Brad Little. “This effort is making a difference — raising awareness, encouraging conversations, and empowering people to act.”
The new work spans digital and social films, radio spots, and outdoor advertising. Three of the campaign’s centerpiece videos freeze seemingly ordinary moments — including a house party, a living room, and a construction worker’s lunch break — before carefully guiding viewers through subtle warning signs hidden within the scene. Real time only resumes once the audience has absorbed the danger. Watch below:
The campaign’s outdoor component also pushes beyond standard billboard execution. One launch billboard was created using UV paint, causing the messaging to glow intensely after dark, an eerie but effective visual metaphor for hidden danger.
“This campaign is deeply meaningful to us because it’s about more than awareness. It’s about saving lives,” said Mindy Stomp, CEO of Drake Cooper. “In year three, we challenged ourselves to find new ways to break through and make the message impossible to overlook.”
According to Patrick Hoopes, Drake Cooper’s Executive Creative Director, the agency intentionally narrowed the campaign around a single memorable behavioral trigger. “We shifted in this third year of the campaign to a more specific device, focusing on the moment of ‘pause’ that might just save a life,” Hoopes said. “By using a mnemonic repeated across the entire campaign, we were able to bring more visual interest to the campaign, but also further drive home the central point.”
The campaign directs audiences to fentanyltakesall.org for additional education and resources.
At a time when many public awareness campaigns struggle to cut through algorithmic noise and audience fatigue, “All It Takes is Everything” continues to stand out by trusting restraint over sensationalism. Instead of screaming at viewers, it asks them to stop for a second. Which, in this case, may be the entire point.
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