Public health issues are serious business, and organizations are increasingly developing effective social media campaigns targeted to their specific audiences. Utilizing a cross-section of available platforms, government agencies and non-profits are able to combat rumors, encourage behavioral changes, and share information, all while allowing their audiences to engage and share feedback.
Following are five examples of effective social media campaigns:
World Heart Day
With a goal of reducing cardiovascular heart disease cases and strokes by 2025, the World Heart Foundation has been celebrating World Heart Foundation for 16 years. Social channels play a major role in their campaigns, like the recent ‘Healthy Heart Selfies’, where people post exercise and health-related photos with the #PowerYourLife and #WorldHeartDay hashtags. These are shared on the World Heart Foundation website and social channels. Queen Latifah and her mother recently joined the conversation to share their heart-health experiences, giving the World Health Foundation a valuable celebrity endorsement.
CDC’s Tips from Former Smokers
The campaign, which aims to get people to stop smoking, uses impactful images, and often frightening images in its print ads. These messages are from real former smokers. It was actually the CDC’s videos, focused on a real former smoker named Terrie, who describes what it is like to live every day with a stoma. The campaign featuring Terri was so successful, the CBC expanded on her message by holding a live Facebook chat where smokers shared their stories Calls to tobacco quit lines doubled during the first two weeks of the campaign.
Man Therapy
Men ages 24-54 account for the most suicides in Colorado. To combat the myth that masculine men don’t seek mental health help, the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention and the Carson J Spencer Foundation created the Man Therapy campaign. The campaign features a fictional character named Rich Mahogany, who provides “manly mental health tips” in humorous videos. The campaign website is full of resources about men’s mental health, including an online support group. A year and half after campaign launch, more than 19,000 visitors had accessed crisis information via the site. More importantly, 51 percent agreed that they were more likely to seek help after visiting the site.
The Partnership For Drug-Free Kids
The organization’s Above the Influence campaign aims to make staying drug and alcohol free cool. With short, engaging videos that encourage youth to speak for themselves and to stay in control of their own decisions, the campaign also includes online games, a Facebook account, a Tumblr and other social media platforms where young people can interact and share their stories. A blog targets topics like “6 signs of a fake friend,” and provides tips for teenagers who might find themselves in an uncomfortable situation where saying no might be difficult.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Sure, it got annoying to see non-stop videos of friends, family and co-workers subjecting themselves to freezing water being poured over their heads. But the grassroots, viral campaign worked, raising $115 million for the ALS Association alone, not to mention the other ALS-related organizations that also badly needed funding for their initiatives. Scientists were able to fast forward research and promising breakthroughs for the incurable, little-known disease are on the horizon. The level of engagement in the viral campaign is almost unparalleled, with organizations holding world record-breaking challenges, celebrities and other people of notoriety jumping on board to raise awareness and money.
There are many opportunities for organizations to develop out-of-the-box campaigns that resonate with individuals who are suffering from, or have the potential to be affected by, a public health concern. Social media campaigns around public health are showing strong results that can result in positive change.
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