Zika Communication Campaign

An awareness campaign for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help contain the Zika virus, the first mosquito-transmitted disease to cause devastating birth defects. In 2016 and 2017, a multi-tiered, digital response was developed and executed. The bilingual campaign focused on pregnant women, women who could become pregnant, and their male partners.

What We Did

In 2016, with the number of Zika cases growing in Puerto Rico and outbreaks expected in several regions of the U.S., Dr. Ramkeesoon and her team designed and tested communication materials to support CDC’s readiness work in both regions. This meant developing and testing full-scale media campaigns, including prevention messages on radio, billboards, bus shelters, magazines, and newspapers, as well as digital and social media.

The Results

  • A public information campaign that reached 85 million people.

  • Click-through rates exceeded industry standard for every digital/social media platform.

  • Engagement rates increased 72%.

  • Those exposed to the campaign were more likely to believe they could protect themselves.

  • Puerto Rico stores with ads achieved 145% increased repellent sales, compared with only an 8% increase in stores with no ads.

 
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Targeting pregnant women, women who could become pregnant, and their male partners.

 
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Zika Puerto Rico campaign.

 
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Zika campaign travel ads.

Public Health, Health Communications, Behavior Change, Communication Campaign, Social Media, Crisis Communication, Infectious DiseasesDr. Selena RamkeesoonZika, CDC, Health Communication, Social Media, Puerto Rico, U.S., Crisis Communication, Behavior Change Communication, Public Health Communication, Infectious Diseases