Challenge
The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) faced challenges around COVID vaccine misinformation. With a $1.5 million grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for vaccine promotion, they needed to overcome skepticism and politicization to stress the importance of vaccines, especially for those with autism who rely on routine.
Strategy
Partnering with VVK PR + Creative, AAoM developed a comprehensive communication strategy tailored to the statewide vaccination program. The approach centered on simplification and a 5-step campaign listicle designed to decrease the stress of back-to-school vaccinations. Emphasis was placed on the timing of the back-to-school season, leveraging AAoM’s Annual Hero Walk and a mobile vaccination unit for on-the-spot vaccinations. The campaign also included multilingual videos and a digital toolkit with resources for healthcare providers, hosted on dedicated landing pages.
Results
The campaign provided a platform for AAoM to promote childhood and COVID vaccinations without overshadowing their other services. Notable achievements included:
- Significant media coverage across key markets like Flint and Alpena during the crucial back-to-school period.
- The Hero Walk event exposed over 1.5 million individuals to vaccine messaging, with many utilizing the mobile clinic.
- Over 750 stakeholders viewed the digital toolkit and videos forming AAoM’s Vaccine Resource Center, ensuring lasting impact and outreach to diverse audiences through multilingual resources.
The strategic use of the grant enabled AAoM to address misinformation.
- AAOM: Immunization Campaign
