Cabin Creek Health System: Vaccine Hesitancy

Challenge

As the COVID-19 pandemic came to an end. Cabin Creek Health System (CCHS) recognized that they would need to continue vaccinating at-risk populations in an area of the country where vaccine hesitancy was at its peak.

Solution

To accomplish these goals, TMG held an On Target strategic planning session with multiple stakeholders in an effort to ensure that all needs would be met by the new campaign. A major hurdle identified early on was the messaging itself. Understanding that vaccine hesitancy was influenced by deeply held beliefs, TMG and CCHS decided to conduct focus groups We wanted to determine the following:

1. Understand the motivations of those who had been vaccinated.
2. Explore the reasons behind vaccine hesitation.
3. Identify the most effective messenger and the primary sources of healthcare advice for the target audience.

Three focus groups were held, two of them made up of Cabin Creek Health System patients representative of each clinic. We met with unvaccinated patients, vaccinated patients, and also met with healthcare providers to understand what they were hearing from their patients. A third was held to hear from providers exactly what they were hearing from their patients (not in a room full of peers).

From these sessions one recurring theme quickly became apparent: those who were vaccinated did so not only for their own health, but also for those around them. The one scenario in which those who were hesitant stated they would be willing to get vaccinated was to care for the parent should the need arise. Providers echoed this stating that many patients, while they were unwilling to get the vaccine for their own safety, they were willing to do so to benefit at-risk loved ones.

Building on these insights, TMG developed a campaign that mirrored the results of this research – West Virginians Take Care of Each Other. The spots told the touching story of a man and his grandson from each perspective; the grandson got vaccinated to protect his grandpa, and grandpa got vaccinated so that he could spend more time with his grandkids.

Campaign Deliverables

• Television (2x)
• Digital Media Buy

Results

The campaign’s digital strategy was carefully honed to focus on zip codes served by CCHS, ensuring that the message reached the intended audience. Over the span of seven months, the campaign generated over 2 million impressions and 5,810 clicks through to the CCHS website, driving significant engagement and awareness. 

Conclusion

The “West Virginians Take Care of Each Other” campaign not only fostered greater vaccine awareness, but it also achieved national recognition. The campaign was awarded a Silver Telly Award for its impactful storytelling, with the campaign specifically praised for its Not-for-Profit category success. By deeply understanding the community’s needs and values, the campaign played a pivotal role in overcoming vaccine hesitancy, ultimately contributing to the health and well-being of the local population.

To see another campaign we did promoting vaccinations, see Breathe Easy West Virginia.