Normal life came to a terrifying halt in 2020 as COVID-19 gripped the world. Alongside closures of businesses and schools everywhere,
Indiana University shut its doors to physical learning and went fully remote.
Months into the pandemic, IU had to figure out how to safely reopen. But returning to campus life, and giving students a shot at
the college experience they dreamed of, would take some work— members of the IU community would need to change their behavior.
We were tasked with developing a campaign to persuade students across the university system to comply with health and safety protocols.
First, we had to achieve widespread adoption of masks and social distancing on campus. As science and resources evolved, so did our objectives, eventually including COVID-19 testing and vaccine uptake.
After conducting focus groups, social listening, and a survey of the student body, we gained a few insights. We learned students were excited and nervous about returning to campus life. They were concerned about their peers’ use of masks and adherence to social distancing.
We discovered cultural obstacles to mask compliance: masks were stigmatized, and viewed by many as “uncool” or a sign of weakness.
Misinformation and a lack of understanding of the benefits, efficacy, and importance of mask-wearing were pervasive.
By portraying masks and other safety protocols as the embodiment of basic human decency, we sought to combat cultural stigmas. Knowing that social influence would work in our favor, with a positive, friendly tone, we aimed to normalize the use of masks and the observance of health guidelines like social distancing.
We discovered cultural obstacles to mask compliance: masks were stigmatized, and viewed by many as “uncool” or a sign of weakness. Misinformation and a lack of understanding of the benefits, efficacy, and importance of mask-wearing were pervasive.
Our campaign successfully portrayed health & safety behaviors in a positive light, and shifted attitudes favorably toward mask-wearing. We saw members of the IU community ubiquitously adopt both required and recommended behavioral measures like masking, physical distancing on and off campus, and self-reporting symptoms.
IU’s marketing and communications initiative also led to widespread compliance with — and positive sentiment towards — our robust COVID-19 mitigation testing protocols.
The massive scale of our testing campaign made national news. When campus reopened in Fall 2020, every student returning to on-campus learning received a rapid antigen test upon their arrival. Less than 1% tested positive.
As vaccines became available across age groups, the next iteration of IU’s health & safety campaign aimed to vaccinate our community — students, faculty, and staff. This was the path to planning for an in-person fall 2021 semester and a return to normal operations.
IU eventually reached a community vaccination rate of over 91% and an almost non-exist number of serious cases on campus.
IU eventually reached a community vaccination rate of over 91% and an almost non-exist
number of serious cases on campus.
