SITUATION
After COVID-19 restrictions, public debate around vaccines grew louder, with skepticism about safety and concerns about personal medical freedoms gaining traction. At the same time, a quieter yet sizable majority continued to support the role of vaccines in protecting children’s health.
This didn’t pose an immediate threat until the elections of 2024 made clear that vaccines – regardless of what sound science says – would be put to the test in 2025.
BIO, representing America’s biotechnology sector, recognized the risks of a silent majority and vocal minority. With childhood immunization rates slipping and literal lives being put on the line, the organization sought to find a way to enter the conversation not with a message that would hit both the head and the heart.
Research we conducted showed that the most compelling visuals were those that starkly reminded people of the toll diseases once took on children. When it came to messaging, audiences responded to two equally powerful ideas: vaccination as an empowering personal decision and vaccination as a shared civic duty.
Above all, the campaign focused on meeting people where they stood—acknowledging hesitations, respecting concerns, and then providing a path toward informed, responsible action.
KEY CHALLENGE
I’ve trusted vaccines in the past, but with so much conflicting information, it feels harder to openly voice my support. Conversations around the topic have become complicated and fraught.
OUR ANSWER
Getting vaccinated is the strongest way to protect ourselves from repeating the painful chapters of our history.
radtollett.com 