Search past winners/finalists


  • MESA logo

Code3, Cleveland, OH: Direct Relief, in Partnership with Facebook and Code3, Boost Vaccine Acceptance in the US through Short and Smart Creative Campaigns

Company: Code3, Cleveland, OH
Company Description: Code3 is a performance-driven digital marketing agency operating at the intersection of media, creative, and commerce. Code3 has over 250 employees spanning locations in Cleveland, New York City, and Los Angelos, and has been a recipient of many awards for creative and digital media.
Nomination Category: COVID-19 Response Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Use of Social Media - COVID-19-related Information
2022 Stevie Winner Nomination Title: Direct Relief, in Partnership with Facebook and Code3, Boost Vaccine Acceptance in the US through Short and Smart Creative Campaigns

  1. If you are providing an essay of up to 350 words, place it in the following space:

    Total 325 words used.

    Over the last two years, COVID-19 has impacted the world in countless ways. And, the path forward has been windy, especially with the development and distribution of the vaccine. Before it was available, many expressed hesitation in regards to its safety. 

    Since the beginning, the CDC claims getting the COVID-19 vaccine can slow the spread of the virus and put an end to the pandemic. To combat widespread hesitation and make a difference, Code3 partnered with Direct Relief and Facebook’s Insights for Impact team to generate short creative campaigns to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. 

    The campaign ran from December 2020-June 2021 and  targeted adults ages 18-40 in states considered to have mid- to low-vaccine acceptance. Code3 focused on three messages that encouraged  people to get the vaccine. A call-to-action response was paired with each message, encouraging users to ask their doctor about the vaccine.

    The first set of messaging showcased getting the vaccine not only protects yourself, but your family and community as well. This approach highly increased the likelihood of people asking their doctors about the COVID-19 vaccine. 

    The second set of messaging used social norming data visualization to show acceptance rates of the vaccine. The graphics showed that most doctors want the COVID-19 vaccine and over 75% of Americans want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It also addressed the question, 'When you think of the people whose opinion you value most, how much would they approve of people getting a COVID-19 vaccine?'. 

    The third set of messaging worked best at providing facts and demystifying false information about the vaccine. It showed that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and important for preventing the spread.

    Overall, the campaign was very successful and helped spread the word about getting vaccinated. The campaign reached just over 2 million people and 79.6K people were helped by this campaign. Over 62K people clicked on campaign ads to the Ad Council’s resource page.

  2. Optional: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):

    Total 248 words used.

    The attached documents provide ample evidence for the success of Code3’s vaccination response. The graphics support the three messages we wanted to convey: protecting others, social norming, and purity value/myth-busting.

    The first messaging, regarding protecting others, used images of everyday people that showcased them not only protecting themselves but also protecting ones they care about, just by being vaccinated. This strategy had the highest recall and the highest click-through rates. It also proved it was the best at improving perceptions that it is important for people to ask their doctor about the vaccine.

    The social norming ads proved the strongest statistically significant results across all of the survey’s questions. It presented factual data that over 95% of doctors who were offered the COVID-19 vaccine chose to get it. It also showcased that by getting the vaccine, you can continue events you missed out on during the pandemic: concerts, social gatherings, etc. 

    The third set of messaging consisted of an interactive carousel with facts regarding elements about the vaccine. It had a +2.5 point lift in recall and was effective in promoting vaccine safety and importance. 

    The creative elements were optimized for mobile to help capture attention and allow easy viewing on a mobile device. They were under 15 seconds in length to make it more comprehensible for those viewing the ad. The campaigns were also data-backed, meaning we leaned into the fact that campaigns that combine video and static content tend to perform better than video-only campaigns.

  3. Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated social media outreach, OR an essay of up to 350 words? (Choose one):
    An essay of up to 350 words
  4. If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video:
Attachments/Videos/Links:
Direct Relief, in Partnership with Facebook and Code3, Boost Vaccine Acceptance in the US through Short and Smart Creative Campaigns
URL Creative Best Practices for COVID-19 Vaccine Campaigns
URL Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance, Social Vulnerability, and Effective Message Design in the U.S.
URL Vaccine Acceptance Learnings From Direct Relief
PNG DirectRelief_GetsYouHere_4x5_1_1.png
PNG DirectRelief_SocialNorm_4x5_1_1.png
PNG DirectRelief_ResponsibilityToProtectOthers_4x5_2_3.png
PNG DirectRelief_SocialNorm_4x5_1_0.png
PNG DirectRelief_ResponsibilityToProtectOthers_4x5_2_2.png