California COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign Evaluation

The Outcomes

We evaluated the campaigns in five languages, collecting more than 4,200 survey responses in three survey waves.

Our evaluation showed that campaign exposure was associated with completing the COVID-19 vaccine regimen during the campaign, among other important outcomes.

Using Social Marketing to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Despite the availability of safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines, many Californians remained unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, increasing their risk for negative health outcomes. In 2021, Sentient Research was contracted to evaluate two statewide media campaigns launched by the California Department of Public Health, Let’s Get to Immunity and Vax for the Win. These campaigns were  to help Californians disproportionately affected by COVID-19 overcome vaccine uncertainties and hesitancy and become fully vaccinated. The campaigns provided science-based vaccine information, with culturally tailored motivational messaging, based on extensive qualitative research that explored facilitators and barriers to vaccination. The campaign advertising used diverse media placements, including social media, television, radio, print, and billboards, and ran in 13 different languages.

Campaign Evaluation 

The campaigns were evaluated in three waves using online surveys (n=1,594; n=1,575; n=1,060) in five different languages. We recruited Californians at least 18 years of age using a mix of an online research panel, random selection from databases of California voter rolls, and random selection from adults from a credit reporting company database. Quotas were imposed to recruit close to 100 respondents who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Black/African-American, or Hispanic/Latinx, and were Spanish-language, Vietnamese-language or Chinese-language dominant.

Campaign exposure was significantly associated with completing the COVID-19 vaccine regimen during the campaign, with stronger outcomes for those with higher campaign exposure. These results strongly indicate that multicultural campaign efforts designed to educate, inform, and motivate Californians to become fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were effective. 

We measured campaign exposure by asking about both unaided and aided exposure, and if survey participants were aware of the campaign, about the frequency of exposure. We tracked multiple outcomes, including whether or not participants had looked for information about the COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated, if they had visited the state vaccination website, and if they had gotten vaccinated (including which vaccine and how many doses). Survey respondents also answered demographic questions as well as questions about experience with COVID-19, including if they knew anyone who been hospitalized or died from the virus.

For each survey wave, more than half of respondents were aware of the campaign, and nearly 50% became fully vaccinated. Campaign exposure was associated with looking for vaccine information, visiting a state vaccine website, and completing the COVID-19 vaccine regimen during the campaign. We found that outcomes were stronger with higher campaign exposure. These results strongly indicate that multicultural campaign efforts designed to educate, inform, and motivate Californians to become fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were effective.