▶Videoyoutube.comReal Talks Wisconsin
“Change the conversation on substance use”
Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Department of Justice substance use prevention campaign (US-WI) launched 19 October 2022, giving families and communities conversation tips, drug facts and help-seeking resources to have 'open, honest and caring conversations about drugs' amid rising fentanyl overdoses; video spots followed in 2023.
- Years
- 2022–now
- Country
- United States
- Topic
- DrugsOpioids
- Asks people to
- Never startSeek helpTalk to someone
- Strategy
- Self efficacyService link
- Channel
- Social (organic)Website
- Audience
- AdultsGeneral publicParents
Evidence
NoneUnknown
No outcome evaluation found.
Sponsor (who paid)
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services State local government, co-lead
- Wisconsin Department of Justice State local government, co-lead
Credits (who made it)
Not recorded yet.
Executions (individual ads)
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Why Talk :15 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: The Power of Listening :15 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Having a Real Talk :15 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Importance of Talks 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Why Talk 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Getting Help 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: The Power of Listening 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Having a Real Talk 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Being There and Vulnerable 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Why Talk (October 2023 upload) 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Having a Real Talk (October 2023 upload) 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: The Power of Listening (October 2023 upload) 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin: Getting Help (October 2023 upload) 2023 · social-organic · youtube
- Real Talks Wisconsin website and partner toolkit 2022 · website · sponsor-site
Related campaigns
- Dose of Reality 2015–now
Sources
- WXOW/WKOW: DHS launches campaign to help Wisconsinites have real, empathetic conversations about drug use news · 2022
- Wisconsin DHS: Real Talks Wisconsin: Change the Conversation on Substance Use sponsor
- UW-Madison Prevention Research Center repost of DHS release: State Agencies Launch Real Talks Campaign to Prevent and Reduce Substance Use (19 Oct 2022) sponsor · 2022
- DHSWI YouTube playlist: Real Talks Wisconsin archive
Research notes
US-WI. Covers all substances, not opioids alone; included in the opioid inventory because it launched in response to rising fentanyl deaths (WKOW) and DHS's opioid partner page promotes 'real talks about opioid harm'. Sibling youth campaign Small Talks (DHS, alcohol and other drugs, ages 8+) is not opioid-specific and is logged in state-campaigns only. Executions from the DHSWI 'Real Talks Wisconsin' YouTube playlist (feed upload dates); placement as paid media not confirmed, so channel is website/social-organic. Unverified (no page found that credits the agency): no agency named on the WKOW story, the DHS pages or the release repost. No settlement funding source found. Discovered 2026-10-22 for #17. Ad library search: "Real Talks Wisconsin", "Wisconsin Department of Health Services". Procurement search 2026-10-22: USAspending FFATA subawards show Wisconsin DHS paid Staples Marketing (now AFFIRM, Pewaukee) USD 450,000 on 14 Apr 2022 under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (no description), six months before Real Talks launched; AFFIRM made the DOJ's Dose of Reality campaign that Real Talks builds on (BizTimes, 8 May 2017). Possible vendor: Staples Marketing/AFFIRM. Wisconsin's settlement 'Statewide Prevention' line (USD 750,000, FY24 Q3 summary) names no vendor. OpenBook Wisconsin (vendor payments) is a scripted ASP.NET app and was not searchable here.
Record cases/wi-real-talks-wisconsin.json, updated 2026-10-22· Link to this campaign