How influencers helped save lives during COVID-19
A campaign in Texas offers lessons in how public health authorities can work with social media celebrities to encourage safety and wellness during the ongoing pandemic.
This past spring, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) jumped on the influencer marketing bandwagon with a campaign designed to educate citizens on the dangers of COVID-19 and share tips to stop the spread. Through a partnership with our team at Markerly and the Sherry Matthews Group, the DSHS was among the first U.S. government entities to use social media platforms and influencers to help spread accurate information with their community.
The campaign, dubbed #HealthyTexas, ran from April through August 2020 and enabled the DSHS to catch the attention of young citizens through relatable, local influencers in a way that traditional PSAs and advertisements couldn’t. The successes and high engagement rates of this campaign are indicative of a new era of social marketing—where municipalities, corporations and government entities seek out influential people from all walks of life who can use their platforms to empower, support and educate peers, rather than simply promoting and selling products.
The challenges
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