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Case Study

HHS COVID-19 Public Education Campaign

The Challenge

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation was rampant and vaccine hesitancy and distrust of the federal government was increasing across the country.

To increase vaccine confidence and awareness about treatments and prevention measures, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services led the We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.

Our Charge

  • Elevate awareness of the campaign

  • Build credibility for HHS as a trusted source of public health information

  • Increase vaccine confidence
  • Drive earned media attention around the Campaign and accurate information on vaccines

Strategy

Based on research showing that the public puts its highest trust in local messengers, we engaged a cadre of local trusted messengers, including pharmacists, infectious disease experts and pediatricians, to build trust and share timely, accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines.

We focused on states with large percentages of our target audiences—parents, newly vaccine-eligible and vaccine hesitant—as well as marginalized communities that historically distrust the health care system.

The Earned Media team worked with more than 150 trusted messengers and secured more than 35,000 placements, including 1,350 original stories in nine languages.

Key Tactics

  • Proactive story pitching
  • Content development
  • Reporter meetings
  • Press briefings
  • Spokesperson preparation
  • Satellite and radio media tours
  • Audio news releases
  • Mat releases

Results

37K
TOTAL STORIES SECURED
2B
MEDIA IMPRESSIONS
100+
LOCAL TRUSTED MESSENGERS ENGAGED

Their strategic thinking and ability to anticipate and navigate a constantly shifting environment ensured the campaign effectively engaged a crucial audience – trusted messengers – to convey important vaccination information.