Truth Check: Fighting the Misinformation Epidemic
In 2021, Year Two of the COVID-19 global pandemic, African Americans (AAs) continued to contract and die from the virus at disproportionate levels. Once vaccines were introduced and available, they were still met with hesitancy. Experts believed the resistance was fueled by a complex mix of historical, political, social, and behavioral determinants – especially in the Black community. Health organizations across the world also acknowledged another factor – misinformation and/or disinformation.
The Center for Black Health & Equity (The Center) launched “Truth Check”, a multi-faceted campaign designed to teach AAs social literacy skills to help identify information and credible online resources about COVID-19 vaccines. The Center retained PRecise Communications to provide PR support to help drive Blacks to its 20-minute online training course.
Strategy:
Tap into the strong sense of cultural pride in the Black community, challenging them not to be duped by misinformation or disinformation, as in the past, and empower themselves with facts that could ultimately affect their lives. We wanted them to seek the truth.
Objectives:
Generate awareness of TheTruthCheck.org online media literacy training course; secure 15 million media impressions and drive 500 AAs, particularly women 18-29 years old, to register for training.
Tactics:
- Earned media relations strategically maximizing popular and outspoken Black actress Jenifer Lewis as the national media spokesperson, focusing on outlets with high readerships of Gen Z and millennial women
- Social media and influencer marketing maximizing Lewis (to produce an original song) and popular creators to share messages and promote training via current content trends via IG and TikTok
- Virtual events were held to facilitate more meaningful conversations, partnering with third-party experts, a Black nationally-recognized medical doctor, Dr. Corey Hebert and race/culture media expert Nseng Burton Ph.D. A town hall, hosted in partnership with BlackDoctor.org extended the message and reach
Results:
- 37 million media impressions (more than double the goal)
- 350K+ social media views
- 140% uptick in registrations on social active days
- 411 training registrations
- Agency contract extension
- An industry award
