Our target audience for this entry is parents of teens ages 16-18

The Voices of Meningitis campaign was produced in the U.S. for Sanofi-Pasteur as an “unbranded” project, intended to help increase meningitis vaccination rates.

Specifically, this campaign was created to raise awareness of the booster vaccination for children ages 16-18. In the U.S., the vaccination rate for children ages 11-12 is approximately 70%. But for children ages 16-18, the booster vaccination rate is only 30%.

In the U.S., unbranded communications can discuss a medical condition and treatment-related issues. However, all medical claims must be based on recognized sources, including government agencies and major research organizations. Additionally, unbranded communications cannot link to branded (product) content.

All content for the Voices of Meningitis campaign was reviewed by the client regulatory department as an educational effort. There was stringent oversight over the language and the representation of treatment. The client regulatory group can modify any content they consider to be in potential violation of FDA guidance.

7 out of 10 U.S. teens haven’t received a meningitis booster vaccination, leaving them at risk for an infection that can lead to lost limbs, brain damage and death — often in as little as 24 hours. Using online video, website and social media, the campaign not only cautioned parents — it reminded them that their teens are still their babies, and that parents had one more shot to keep their kids protected.

Our mission was to raise the meningitis booster vaccination rate by warning parents that their teens aren’t fully protected until their teens have received a second meningitis vaccine — and to use social media to drive advocacy from parents whose teens had been infected.

Our cautionary tale showed a mother sitting by her gravely ill son’s hospital bed. While thumbing through old photographs, she reflects on her fond memories of his childhood — and laments the bright future that might be lost forever.

The online video launched in late June and ran through October — the period where teens are heading off to summer camps, starting sports practices and returning to high school or college. The video lived on the Voices of Meningitis website, and also ran as pre-roll on news and entertainment sites targeting mothers, as well as paid placements on Facebook.

In just over 4 months, the video was viewed 48 million times. Our paid advertisements on Facebook earned over 20,000 likes. The ads were also shared over 13,000 times.

Nearly 1,700 people commented on the video. Many of the commenters were parents who shared their heartbreaking stories in an effort to help other parents avoid tragedies like the ones they had suffered. The agency followed the conversations on Facebook, and reached out to many of these parents. By getting permission to use their quotes in subsequent Facebook posts, we sparked even more conversation, more engagement and more advocacy.

In post-campaign surveys, 90% of parents who had seen the video or engaged with the campaign online said they would give their teen one more shot to prevent meningitis.

We needed to convince parents of teens ages 16-18 that their job isn’t done yet. By tapping into their paternal instincts, we would show them that the simple act of getting a meningitis booster shot could help preserve the future they’ve worked so hard to give their children.

By showing a dramatization of every parent’s worst nightmare, we hoped to spark a reaction in social media from real-life parents who had experienced a meningitis infection first-hand.

70% of U.S. teens get vaccinated for meningitis at age 11. But only 30% get a booster vaccination at age 16, when their immunity from the initial vaccination wanes. At the same time, lifestyle factors such as kissing, sharing drinks and living in dorms put teens at greater risk for potentially deadly meningitis infection. That’s why the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) now recommends a second meningitis vaccination for children ages 16 to 18.