You have a vision.

Let's make it real.

What’s your problem?

 

Picture this:

 

You’ve just met someone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet. All you know about this person is that s/he has doubts about the vaccine.

 

How would you persuade him/her to get the jab? What would you say?

 

“The vaccine protects you and everyone around you”?

 

“The sooner you get vaccinated the sooner we can get back to normal life”?

 

“It’s your duty as a responsible American”?

 

How about “It’s Up to You”?

 

That’s the tagline the Ad Council and its collaborators came up with after extensive research and testing. 

 

(The Washington Post magazine has a fascinating story on the laborious work behind the campaign. Apologies: the article is available to subscribers only.)

 

Compare “It’s Up to You” to past Ad Council campaigns that are still part of our popular lexicon: 

 

“Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” 

 

“Take a Bite Out of Crime” 

 

“Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” 

 

“A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” 

 

“It’s Up to You”

 

Memorable? Hardly. 

 

But, assuming you’ve been vaccinated, the campaign isn’t for you or me. 

 

Research showed the vaccine hesitant are diverse and have different reasons for their doubts. The Post story recounts how early in the research process, the strategists, all volunteers from top firms in different fields, searched for a common thread running through the doubters' concerns. One of the marketers finally realized they simply had to “’get comfortable with the fact that [the hesitant are] uncomfortable.’” 

 

Problem transformed.

 

I am simplifying and condensing the process but the campaign changed its goals: instead persuading, the focus moved to acknowledging and legitimizing its audiences’ concerns.

 

Only time will tell if the campaign succeeds. But it’s a great reminder:

 

Before we communicate, we must be sure we've defined our problem correctly! 

 

During the last month I

 

  • did discovery interviews about a young resource and information website and reported on my insights
  • edited a grant application
  • attended the virtual frank conference, which is part of the University of Florida Center for Public Interest Communications.


 

 

Amy M. Mayers

Communications Strategy

amymayers.com

Have a project or a problem you'd like to discuss? Get in touch! 

Amy M. Mayers

  o: (202) 363-2537

  c: (202) 236-7328

amy@amymayers.com

amymayers.com