Partners in Health
Level Up. Get Vaccinated.
_SECTOR: PUBLIC HEALTHPartners In Health is a global health and social justice organization that does whatever it takes to provide excellent healthcare to those who need it most. As vaccinations were rolled out across the United States, predictable disparities in access became apparent. Partners in Health engaged Emergence to assist with their work in Montgomery, AL.
In 2020, Emergence created “Level Up” – a campaign to encourage vaccine-hesitant populations to protect themselves against COVID-19. We collaborated with local photographers and celebrities to capture evocative portraits of Montgomery natives that signaled protection and defense. A coordinated campaign roll-out (including TV, radio, out-of-home, and in-person activations) resulted in a significant increase in vaccination rates.
Branding | Campaign Development | Copywriting | Graphic Design | OOH | Paid Social Media | Public Relations | Radio | Research | Strategy | Video Production | TV | Web Design _THE CHALLENGE
As vaccinations were rolled out across the United States, predictable disparities in access became apparent. Partners in Health engaged Emergence to assist with their work in Montgomery, AL. A city with a large BIPOC population, high poverty rates, and a long history of racial injustice, Montgomery faced unique challenges in ensuring an equitable vaccine rollout. The city had also been hard hit by COVID, and many of its residents have comorbidities that made them particularly at risk for serious illness and mortality related to COVID.
_SEARCHING FOR THE SIGNAL
Through an extensive research process that explored perceptions in Montgomery, we quickly saw that the risks and damage of COVID were widely understood in these communities. Many had lost relatives or been sick themselves, yet a persistent distrust of the government and the healthcare industry limited vaccine uptake among some audiences. It was therefore essential to focus on a self protection message, and bring it to life through a campaign that felt authentic, local, and representative.
_EMERGENCE
The “Level Up” campaign launched in March 2020 on TV, radio, social media, and out-of-home installations. We worked with local photographer Syd Foster to capture evocative portraits of Montgomery natives that signaled protection and defense. We also involved local celebrities, such as Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative, local football star Jeremy Johnson, and viral video legend Sammy Stephens to get the message out and help Montgomery residents see themselves in the campaign. Community engagement efforts with PIH included town halls, vaccine pop ups, and an appointment finder website.ve.
_EVOLUTION
Campaign roll-out coordinated with community outreach and in-person activations. Key campaign success metrics include:
19,929,258 impressions in a target population of less than 100,000.
9.2 million impressions for OOH billboard placements.
6.6 million impressions garnered from :30-second TV spot.
Noticeable increase in vaccination rate during campaign
Unprecedented watch-through rates (98%+) on video content
High engagement throughout campaign on social media (2.21% CTR and 718,920 impressions on Facebook)
Traffic to BamaVax.com increased throughout campaign
