Too many babies die in the U.S. from preventable causes. In Northeast Florida, we lose the equivalent of eight classes of kindergarteners each year. Black infants are nearly three times as likely to die in infancy compared to white babies. In some Jacksonville ZIP Codes, the Black infant mortality rate is even higher. Recognizing the need to bring attention to the prevalence of infant mortality and the strategies to prevent it, the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition engaged ruckus, its agency of record, to design and launch a social marketing campaign called "Hey, Mama" to increase public awareness about infant mortality in the highest risk ZIP Codes in the Jacksonville area.
Goal
Decrease the Black infant mortality rate YoY* by raising awareness about root cause issues and health disparities in ZIP codes 32208, 32209, 32210 & 32211. (*2023 statistics have not been released by the Florida Department of Health at time of submission. The Black infant mortality rate in Duval County in 2022 was 12.3 per 1,000 live births.)
Objective
Inspire action toward behavior changes that impact Black birth outcomes by encouraging 150,000 women of childbearing (age 18-34), their partners and families from April 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2023, to seek out and participate in NEFHSC programs and services as measured by:
Increasing referral & intake form completions by 10%
Increasing inquiries to NEFHSC (website, phone calls) by 20%
Increasing NEFHSC program participation by 2%
Increasing NEFHSC website traffic by 10%
Garnering a minium of 150,000 advertising impressions
Designed to elevate the voice and power of Black women, the campaign featured original illustrations, a spoken word penned by a local artist, and messaging that highlighted the importance of nutrition, self-advocacy, breastfeeding and mental health. All of the campaign’s integrated components offered women and their families access to free, one-to-one support that best fit their needs.
The Hey, Mama strategy centered on sharing meaningful, educational information about root cause issues of infant mortality (SDOH, toxic stress, etc.) with a clear call to action as well as food for thought that ‘sticks’ even if the audience in the four target ZIP Codes didn't visit the landing page, NEFHSC website, complete the intake process, etc. Campaign tactics included:
Ensuring NEFHSC board, NEFHSC staff, and members and participants of key influencing groups understand context for Hey, Mama campaign and are equipped with information and materials
Driving target audiences to Hey, Mama landing page via traditional advertising and paid digital advertising using outlets that garnered the most traction previously while exploring new mediums as budget allows including:
The Hey, Mama campaign exceeded all of its campaign objectives in the six-month period including:
Increasing NEFHSC referral & intake form completions by 34%
Increasing inquiries to NEFHSC by 38%
Increasing NEFHSC program participation by 2%
Increasing NEFHSC website traffic by 20%
Garnering more than 9.8 million advertising impressions
