Vax*CHI*Nation

According to research, 46% of African Americans and 35% of Latinos said they probably would not, definitely would not, or were not sure whether they would get a COVID-19 vaccine. Despite those statistics, the Chicago Department of Public Health was committed to delivering the most equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution of any major city.

Given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic in minority communities, vaccine hesitancy and access barriers, there were significant hurdles to achieving widespread uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in Chicago—which is 33% Black and 33% Latinx—during the early months of vaccination.

Based on citywide research and anecdotal findings, the campaign objectives were: Generate awareness about COVID-19 vaccination, Increase vaccination consideration, Build vaccine safety confidence, Reinforce Chicago’s equitable access strategy, Galvanize Chicagoans to get vaccinated.

In a creative play on, “vaccination,” Vax*CHI*Nation was created to build memorable, authentic connections with consumers, with a heavy focus on communities of color with low vaccination rates.

To drive behavior, the campaign had to reflect Chicagoans’ lived experiences with imagery and stories from trusted voices that would resonate with minority consumers and spark authentic conversations. “Vax*CHI*Nation”, was a memorable, galvanizing call to action to encourage Chicagoans to join a movement and be a part of the solution. The creative approach was anchored in highlighting Chicago’s cultural diversity to reinforce that looking after each other and repping the city is an attribute of anyone from Chi-Town. Visually, the campaign was designed to showcase images of relatable people alongside taglines like, “Do it for your city”, “Do it for your block”, “Do it for the South Side”, and “This is a group project…do your part.”

Under the Vax*CHI*Nation umbrella, short testimonials from real Chicagoans—dubbed “Real People, Real Stories”—were created. These videos showcased real emotions, some light-hearted and some more tragic, to help change perception, combat apathy, build trust, and encourage residents to get vaccinated.

Within four months of the campaign being live, it generated nearly 30 million impressions across paid and earned media.