Name of Intervention/ Program
New Hampshire COVID Travelers Awareness Campaign
Background and Situation Analysis
Amidst efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire (NH), there arose a pressing need for clear communication regarding prevention, quarantine, and testing protocols, especially targeting travelers entering or returning to the state. Recognizing this need, JSI aligned its campaign messaging with existing state COVID-19 communication to ensure coherence and understanding among the priority audiences.
Priority Audiences(s)
The campaign prioritized adult tourists and non-native travelers visiting NH, along with NH residents returning from out-of-state travel.
Behavioral Objectives
The campaign aimed to enhance awareness and knowledge of COVID-19 prevention, testing sites, and quarantine guidelines among NH residents returning from travel and visitors to the state. Additionally, it sought to align messaging with existing state COVID-19 communications to minimize confusion among travelers. The following behavioral objectives guided campaign activities: Communicate COVID-19 prevention, quarantine, and testing best practices to increase awareness and knowledge of COVID-19 testing sites, quarantine guidance, and safety practices to: -NH residents traveling back into the state following domestic or international travel Domestic and international travelers visiting NH -Align campaign messaging with existing COVID-19 prevention, quarantine, and testing messages the audiences may receive from NH agencies to prevent confusion among travelers around what the recommended best practices are.
Description of Strategy/Intervention
JSI conducted rapid formative research to identify existing COVID-19 communication resources and successful campaigns, leading to the development of a community-based social marketing campaign. The campaign utilized transit and digital advertisements featuring an original animated video, directing viewers to the official NH Department of Health and Human Services website for detailed information on COVID-19 best practices. To ensure that the campaign strategy, messaging, and approach aligned with existing COVID-19 prevention, quarantine, and testing messaging JSI conducted a rapid formative research process including an environmental and campaign scan to identify: -Existing COVID-19 communication resources prepared by the state of NH -Existing COVID-19 communication campaigns facilitated by the state, including Mask Up NH -Successful COVID-19 campaigns geared toward travelers throughout the United States Based on the identified need and the results of the formative research, JSI developed a community-based social marketing campaign to support communication of COVID-19 prevention, quarantine, and testing best practices for travelers. The campaign consisted of transit and digital advertisements aimed at travelers in NH to increase awareness and knowledge of COVID-19 testing sites, quarantine guidance, and safety practices. All campaign video advertisements consisted of various lengths of an original animated video featuring travelers arriving in NH and following COVID best practices such as masking and covering your mouth when you cough and directed viewers to visit the official COVID-19 informational website housed on the NH Department of Health and Human Services website. The static transit advertisements consisted of a still image taken from the animated video, and a strong call to action to get more information on COVID-19 best practices on the official COVID-19 informational website housed on the NH Department of Health and Human Services website.
Implementation
Campaign advertisements were strategically placed in the Manchester NH airport baggage claim area television screens, on YouTube, and on buses and bus stations serving border regions of NH. Digital ads on YouTube were geofenced to target individuals in NH, focusing on out-of-state visitors and returning residents. Campaign advertisements ran on television screens in the baggage claim area of the Manchester NH airport, on YouTube as travelers were watching content on their phones or computers, and were placed strategically on buses and at bus stations that served the border regions of NH.
Evaluation Methods and Results
Running from November 2022 to May 2023, the campaign achieved 4,214,186 video impressions via YouTube and airport advertising. Static advertisements appeared on 64 buses and 4 bus stations statewide. The YouTube campaign generated 1,103 clicks to the official COVID-19 website, boasting an impressive view rate of nearly 50%, far surpassing the platform’s average rate of 10-15%, meaning that viewers watched much more of the ad than most other ads on the platform.
Entry Letter: V