ADPH Inspires Young Adults to Take Safety Measures with COVID Doesn’t Care Campaign

By Camille Leonard & Jim Leonard

Using a combination of stark and bright colors, as well as the COVID imagery, STAMP created attention-grabbing creative to show that “COVID Doesn’t Care” and we need to do our part—especially young adults.

ADPH Inspires Young Adults to Take Safety Measures with COVID Doesn’t Care Campaign

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COVID Doesn’t Care was conceived as an answer to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s request for help convincing young people, ages 18-24, to follow CDC guidelines. Using a combination of stark and bright colors as well as the COVID imagery, STAMP created attention-grabbing creative to show that COVID is still here and we need to do our part—especially young adults.

Background

The Alabama Department of Public Health wanted to slow the spread of COVID in Alabama—numbers hit above 100,000, and the death toll was over 1,800. Through their findings, they noticed a trend among young adults: those aged 18-24 accounted for 13.81% of COVID cases and 0.2% of COVID deaths in Alabama. Although protocols were well known in that demographic, much of this group felt it did not matter if they caught the virus.

Reasoning

Bring awareness of the dangers of COVID-19 to a younger audience, as well as educating them about taking the proper safety measures to keep themselves and others safe from COVID-19. Utilize media channels used widely by the target audience.

Challenges

Young Adults were dismissive of COVID-19. Since many businesses had reopened statewide, many thought that the worst is over, and they could go back to regular life–pre-pandemic.

Solution

COVID Doesn’t Care.

This concept communicates to a younger audience the ruthlessness of a deadly virus. COVID is relentless. It has no consciousness. No remorse. No pity. It is a virus that does not see race or gender. It does not know age. Through the personification of the virus and the toll it takes on society, we express the callous nature of an illness we cannot see.

This concept resonates because it dispels all the excuses young people come up with for why they are not doing their part. It’s a powerful reminder that they are not immune. Graphically, this campaign juxtaposes bright eye-catching color against a dark, organic background—implying the possibility of exposure to this illness is present in activities once considered normal and suggests the dire consequences.

Media used targeted the 18-24 age group: Streaming TV, Instagram, Snapchat Campaign Branded filter, TikTok, Facebook and out-of-home in markets that have college campuses, running statewide. The campaign was timed to coincide with the start of the Fall 2020 semester through the end of November.