Education, Not Demonization

How our recent collaboration with the Ad Council embodied Known’s core values

For many, this year will be the first holiday season they gather with extended family since the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s great to see loved ones after so long, some hot-button issues can turn a peaceful holiday dinner into a fiery free-for-all.

Take, for instance, the COVID-19 vaccine. The majority of states have at least half of their citizens fully vaccinated. As of November 30th, 10 states had COVID-19 vaccination rates under 50%. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that the country needs 75–85% of the population to be fully vaccinated to achieve herd immunity against the virus.

These numbers mean that there is a lot more work to be done to convince people to get vaccinated. But how do you appeal to skeptical relatives? You’ve probably realized that screaming “GET VACCINATED, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” while passing the potatoes won’t make Uncle Joe head to the pharmacy for his shot. It just leaves you with a hoarse voice and no potatoes.

Stemming from the insight that people consider their healthcare to be directly connected to their identity, the campaign shows how two local populations that seem to be at odds can “meet in the middle” around the vaccine.

We need common ground, as Known’s new work with the Ad Council’s “It’s Up to You” COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative highlights. Stemming from the insight that people consider their healthcare to be directly connected to their identity, the campaign shows how two local populations that seem to be at odds can “meet in the middle” around the vaccine. The regional ads target states with low vaccination rates, including Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Louisiana.

“We received an amazing creative brief from our Strategy team that gave the creatives an incredible north star and in-depth consumer insights,” said Known’s SVP of brand creative Jody Friedricks. The hyperlocal health identity finding then fueled the creative.

Venn Diagrams become “Vax Diagrams,” illustrating that vaccination can bring people together despite preferring baseball to football, singing Dolly over Kenny at karaoke, or bull riding to two-stepping. One of Known’s core values is “We Are One Team,” and these diagrams embody that spirit, assuring people that despite this public health crisis, we’re all in this together.

“An old saying goes, ‘we’re not saving lives, it’s just advertising,’” said Friedricks. “But for a project such as this, the work has the potential to directly affect the lives of so many — so the team was incredibly motivated to work on this project.”

“With the vast majority of our adult population already vaccinated, it’s time to take a more targeted and nuanced approach to educating people who still have questions and concerns,” said Known Chairman and CEO Kern Schireson, who recently joined the Ad Council’s board of directors.

The ads do not implore people to get vaccinated; they only recommend people seek out information to help make their decision, echoing our value to “Never Stop Learning.” And as we learned with Uncle Joe and the potatoes, demonization of the unvaccinated won’t lead to higher vaccination rates, just more family feuds. It’s worth it to “See The Good” in everyone. Meeting in the middle will help us muddle through this holiday season with humor, love, and good health.

Learn more about Strategy at Known. Want to work in Strategy? Check out the open roles on our Careers page.