A case for boldness 

• Health system marketing comes with many stakeholders, opinions, and expectations, making it challenging to deliver imaginative and bold campaigns. 
• Despite these challenges, marketers must continue to push on ideas that don't just "check the boxes" but truly influence behavior in a way that improves public health. 

The campaign that pushed the envelope 

• During the pandemic, health systems and hospitals across the country promoted COVID-19 vaccination within their communities. A literal life or death situation, VCU health knew they would need something more than a safe, traditional campaign. 
• To increase vaccine uptake in Virginia, VCU Health honed in on Virginian pride and the unique stories that make the people of Virginia. 
• Younger populations in Virginia were vaccinating at lower rates than other populations, so VCU Health's messaging needed to address these people directly rather than using broad messaging. From this direction, a provocative direction was born: This Sh*t Matters. 

Clearing the "buy-in" hurdle

• To bring this bold idea to life, the VCU Health marketing team needed to build a strong case for the campaign and why the provocative approach was necessary to drive impact. 
• The team bolstered their argument by testing the work in-market, collecting feedback from legislators, and collaborating with clinical experts. 
• Cynthia credits VCU Hea position as a challenger brand and the system's forward-thinking leadership for getting this game-changing idea across the finish line. 

Bolder campaign, bolder results 

• The campaign plan originally included three to four stories from Virginians. After a short stint in the market, however, more and more people came to VCU health to share their stories. The result: 15+ stories told by community members who knew their audience's context. The campaign also received coverage from several local news stations.