THE CHALLENGE:
Who doesn’t love a comeback? In February 2021, as soon as the COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the FDA, The Idea Marketing partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to motivate Coloradans to get vaccinated. The goal was to vaccinate 70% of Coloradans with their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the Fourth of July. The complex and ever-changing nature of the pandemic required both vaccine awareness and education efforts to be implemented in less than six weeks. This led to the creation of “Power the Comeback”, the largest public health campaign in Colorado’s history.
THE SOLUTION:
The strategy focused on three key pillars: Awareness, Trust, and Education. The campaign was not just about ensuring Coloradans knew where and how to get vaccinated; it also aimed to address government distrust, anxiety fueled by misinformation, and the distinct needs of priority populations with the greatest vaccine hesitancy. To motivate these groups, tailored sub-campaigns were developed with sub-messaging that considered each group’s unique challenges, barriers, and preferences.
To build awareness and emotional connections, the creative campaign showcased various “heroes of the comeback” and their reasons for getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
To foster trust, over 12 thirty-second video testimonials were produced, featuring trusted community voices who addressed specific doubts and barriers within their communities.
For the education pillar, 50 easy-to-understand animated videos were developed, each addressing a different area of misinformation or a different false narrative about COVID-19 vaccines.
The paid media mix strategy included traditional and non-traditional outlets. In addition to TV, radio, social media, billboards, and bus shelters, the campaign reached Coloradans through numerous innovative placements: interactive videos played in Ubers and Lyfts, laundromats were covered with clings and banners, lunch trucks at manufacturing plants became mobile billboards, and much more. We took things one step further by geofencing summer concerts, state fairs, and rodeos to then retarget attendees with digital ads to remind them to get vaccinated after attending large public events.
INFLUENCERS TO COMBAT MISINFORMATION
A critical component of the “Power the Comeback” campaign was a comprehensive community outreach program, involving community navigators, social media influencers, and community-based organizations (CBOs). These trusted voices supported our educational efforts and helped open doors within hard-to-reach communities, directly addressing vaccine concerns and misinformation.
Over 180 local micro-influencers helped spread the campaign messaging through organic social media posts. These influencers were as diverse as the state itself, ranging from mom bloggers, teachers, and faith leaders to bikers, community organizers, firefighters, photographers, police officers, a cattle rancher, and even a teen rapper. The innovative implementation of the social micro-influencer program made it highly successful, attracting media attention locally, nationally, and internationally, with coverage from outlets such as The New York Times, Associated Press, ABC, and even TV stations in China and France.
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO REACH NICHE COMMUNITIES
To reach the heart of hard-to-reach communities, Community Navigators directly addressed vaccine concerns and misinformation by engaging people face-to-face in various settings, including food banks, religious services, family-friendly venues, and state fairs, among others.
Additionally, over 60 community-based organizations (CBOs) distributed campaign materials through their communication channels.
Post-campaign research demonstrated the campaign’s effectiveness, with over 65% of Coloradans recalling the creative content five months after it ended. Most importantly, the state achieved its goal of vaccinating 70% of Coloradans just one day before the Fourth of July.
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