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the design brief

A user-centered campaign to bring contextually relevant COVID-19 related health messaging to parents and caregivers in Mitchells Plain.

the
challenge

Health messaging should be accessible
and available to all humans, but due to education and resource limitations, literacy
is low in many under-resourced communities. A large number of the population in the Cape Flats are parents or caregivers to family members. This means that health decisions need to be carefully considered
as it affects multiple lives.

the
aim

The campaign should objectively inform parents and caregivers in Mitchells Plain of COVID-19 findings in a logical, educational way that makes use of inclusive visual tools. With this information, parents and caregivers should be better informed about how COVID-19, vaccination and immunization works and be able to share the knowledge with their children and people in their care.

the
audience

  • The sample group for the research phase were members of the larger Cape Flats, including Mitchells Plain and surrounding  areas. 70% of interviewed participants use Facebook as a source of information, and 70% feel they do not or are unsure about the vaccination information they do have. 80% would also like to have more information around COVID-19, this implies that the information available isn’t adequate or to the level of understanding of the community.
     

  • Demographic: The decision-making group in the community appear to be aged 35-55. Most likely to be employed in a trade industry with hands-on skills and very likely to be close to minimum wage if not informally employed. Makes use of public healthcare or clinics for health services and either have children or are caregivers to family members.

  • Psychographic: There is a mistrust in authority and the messages from government due to poor service delivery and difficulty finding reliable information.
    This leads to information to be spread through word-of-mouth or through social media. Health information from govt is often rejected/opposed due to generational superstitions and beliefs. Parents and caregivers also care for the wellbeing of their children and families and would like to prevent major illness and death as much as possible.

Reliable information takes time to find without clear directives and is not always understandable in a time of fear and stress. The pandemic has affected under-resourced areas like Mitchells Plain adversely as basic measures for preventable diseases are often overlooked and communities are more affected by the contraction and transmission of COVID-19 (Hamaguchi et al. 2020: 1).

the
objectives

  • The Campaign should educate the audience of how the vaccine and immunity works for an informed decision to be made.

  • Campaign communication should be understandable to the target audience, create awareness around misinformation and have a clear directive to a reliable source of accessible information.

  • The Campaign content should engage the audience and incite some behavioral changes to preventative health measures.

  • The campaign should provide adequate information and sources for people to make informed decisions for their children and those under their care.

  • The campaign should remain objective and avoid decision bias, whether the audience chooses to participate in preventative measures or vaccination, it should be an informed decision through considering factual content.

the
proposed strategy

  • A proposed strategy is to develop a cross-platform communication campaign on the platforms used by the participant group as identified through the quantitative study. This includes Facebook, newspaper and news channels. 70% of participants visit public spaces at least once a day. These public spaces include shopping centers and healthcare facilities. It will focus on Mitchells Plain and surrounds as it is one of the largest residential areas that is under-resourced. Schools and public areas that are frequented by children and parents should be considered for the placement of information.

  • Facebook will have the bulk of the informative content about how the virus, vaccination and immunity works, with local newspapers and news channels directing the audience towards the information hub. Digital content would include video material, images, and explanatory content, with a platform for anonymous questions to be answered by health professionals. The use of Facebook Live as a feature would allow for local community leaders to engage with the audience regards their questions and concerns. A relatable person that the community trusts would increase engagement in the information and have better outcomes for change. 

  • The campaign would run for 3 – 6 months, in conjunction with the national vaccination rollout plan for youth (<18y/o).

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