THE CHALLENGE:
In the late stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, immunization options became available for children. The Idea Marketing partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) on a comprehensive COVID-19 behavior change campaign to educate parents and caregivers about COVID-19 vaccines for kids and encourage them to protect their children through inoculation.
The greatest challenge of this campaign would be overcoming the widespread mis- and disinformation surrounding COVID-19 immunizations for children, which caused many parents to be hesitant due to concerns about their children’s safety, especially within priority populations.
THE SOLUTION:
The Idea Marketing team conducted audience research in areas with higher concentrations of children to uncover key emotional insights. Our findings revealed that parents were unlikely to respond positively to direct messages explicitly urging them to vaccinate their children. Instead, the messaging needed to focus on educating parents about immunization options and empowering them to make informed decisions on their own. This approach was especially important among priority populations, including African American, low-income, rural, Spanish-dominant, and Latino English-dominant parents.
The creative concept – “Don’t Watch and Wait” – showcased viral videos of parents stepping in at the last minute to protect their children from danger, tapping into each parent’s instincts to protect their kids, and then making vaccinations an extension of this instinct. The universal emotional connection resonated with all focus groups regardless of their background, perspective, or circumstances.
REACHING PARENTS WHERE THEY LIVE, WORK, AND GO
While hyper-targeted video ads ran on digital outlets, social media, TV, and cable, static ads were placed in non-traditional settings, such as pediatrician waiting rooms, hair salons, neighborhood “mercados,” and ice cream parlors, among many other locations.
These placements allowed us to effectively deliver campaigns messages to hard-to-reach audiences in places they regularly visit and congregate.
EDUCATING PARENTS AND ADDRESSING MISINFORMATION
To address parents’ concerns and enable informed decision-making about vaccinating children, The Idea Marketing team organized multiple virtual informational webinars between parents from priority populations and pediatricians. These transparent and public Q&A forums allowed parents to hear directly from medical professionals and receive accurate answers through personal interactions.
To reinforce these efforts, videos were produced in English and Spanish featuring pediatricians discussing the real risks of children contracting COVID-19 and highlighting the safety of the vaccines. The pediatricians also shared personal stories of vaccinating their own children, helping to build and strengthen trust.
DRIVING AWARENESS AND VACCINATIONS
The overall campaign generated over 55 million impressions and drove over 1 million people to the CDPHE website to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines for children.
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