Boston Public Health Boston Public Health CommissionCommission

Health Communications,Health Communications,Branding, and MarketingBranding, and Marketing

Using Traditional and Social Using Traditional and Social MediaMedia

Susan Harrington, Assistant Director of Communications

What is public health?What is public health?

- “ “I don’t know”I don’t know”- “ “They help people”They help people”

ListeListenn

New brand New brand announcementannouncement

New logo, new brandNew logo, new brand

National Public Health National Public Health LogoLogo

New websiteNew website

New websiteNew website

Multiple Multiple NavigationNavigation

New websiteNew websiteAvoid stagnant informationAllow staff to update and edit their own pages

ChallengesChallengesHello. Hola. Bonjour. Olá.

Top six languages in Boston: English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)

ChallengesChallengesHello. Hola. Bonjour. Olá.

Machine translation is very literal

Still need to provide important information in multiple languages

ChallengesChallenges“The flu is a germ.”

Low reading literacy

Provide documents with picturesCreate videos

Can’t forget on-the-ground communication and partnerships to spread message

Measurement: Google Measurement: Google AnalyticsAnalytics

Should follow campaign launches and important news (H1N1 flu)

Measurement: Google Measurement: Google AnalyticsAnalyticsTop Pages: Make them easy to find on web

Measurement: Google Measurement: Google AnalyticsAnalytics

Cross-Promote with Social Cross-Promote with Social MediaMedia

Created Channel on October 28, Created Channel on October 28, 20082008Stats: (As of 11/17/09)Stats: (As of 11/17/09)68 video uploads68 video uploads36 subscribers 36 subscribers 4,055 Channel Views4,055 Channel ViewsNearly 20,000 Video ViewsNearly 20,000 Video Views

www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth

Customized BrandingCustomized Branding

Shown in movie theaters and Shown in movie theaters and on TVon TVDrives back to BPHCDrives back to BPHCEmbed video within Web siteEmbed video within Web site

www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth

Click to Click to link to link to videovideo

YouTube: Multiple YouTube: Multiple LanguagesLanguages

Click to Click to link to link to videovideoMake CDs for partners and Make CDs for partners and

community health centerscommunity health centers

Train the trainer sessionsTrain the trainer sessions

www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth

Nonprofits: http://www.youtube.com/nonprofits Premium branding capabilities The option to drive fundraising through a Google

Checkout "Donate" button Ability to add a call to action overlay on your videos to

drive campaigns Posting a video opportunity on the YouTube Video

Volunteers platform to find a skilled YouTube user to create a video for your cause. YouTube channel for your

Governent Agencies: email government@youtube.com Government, government department, or government

agency can apply to become a YouTube Government Partner

Advanced branding capabilities

www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth www.youtube.com/BostonPublicHealth

Launched page on April 1, 2009Currently have 465 Fans (as of 11/17/09)Share photos, videos, links, press releasesPromote Commission-sponsored eventsPost polls on relevant health topicsHighly Targeted Facebook ads as part of campaign media buys (STI prevention, Flu Prevention, Bike Helmet Safety)

wwwwww..ffaacceebbooookk..ccoomm//HHeeaalltthhyyBBoossttoonn

wwwwww..ffaacceebbooookk..ccoomm//HHeeaalltthhyyBBoossttoonn

• Created account in February 2009Created account in February 2009• 1,510 Followers (11/17/09)1,510 Followers (11/17/09)• Post breaking news and public health Post breaking news and public health

alerts to inform residents during public alerts to inform residents during public health emergencieshealth emergencies

• Promote new content on Facebook & Promote new content on Facebook & YouTubeYouTube

• Share relevant content, links, videos, Share relevant content, links, videos, podcasts, blog articlespodcasts, blog articles

• Re-tweet posts made by community Re-tweet posts made by community partner organizations, the CDC, or partner organizations, the CDC, or other health departmentsother health departments

• Used Twitter to tweet “live” from Used Twitter to tweet “live” from Boston Flu Summit using hashtag Boston Flu Summit using hashtag #FluSummit#FluSummit

www.twitter.com/HealthyBostonwww.twitter.com/HealthyBoston

www.twitter.com/HealthyBostonwww.twitter.com/HealthyBoston

BlogBlogwww.healthyfoodonabudget.wordpress.cwww.healthyfoodonabudget.wordpress.comom

“Healthy Food on a Budget” • A blog written and monitored by a

registered dietician at the Commission, Kathy Cunningham

• Offers tips on saving at the grocery store, as well as quick and healthy recipes for the whole family

• Average hits: 10,280 monthly

PodcastPodcast

“Boston Health Click”-A podcast series on important public health topics -Features brief, informative programs with health

experts from the Commission and elsewhere-Critical platform during Boston measles outbreak

TextingTexting

Currently used for flu updatesWill use in the spring for new campaigns:

violence prevention and health equity

Street Street TheaterTheater

Another way to “meet them where they are”

BostonSexED, Start Strong

Putting It TogetherA Campaign In Action

STI Prevention CampaignSTI Prevention Campaign Among Boston Public High School

Students:◦ 56 % of have had sex◦ 40% of students younger than 16

have had sex◦ 24 % of sexually active students

had more than six partners.◦ Only 71% of sexually active

students had used a condom during their last sexual contact.

STI Prevention CampaignSTI Prevention Campaign 1 in 4 sexually active Boston teens

has a sexually transmitted infection (STI), including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV. ◦ The rates are particularly high for

teens of color.

STI Prevention CampaignSTI Prevention CampaignCity had $100,000 to spend on aFirst time that the city of Boston

committed major funding for STI prevention ◦Exclusively targeted sexually active

teens, between ages 15 and 19 who represent the highest percentage of new cases of Chlamydia and gonorrhea in Boston. 

Interviewing Boston Youth Interviewing Boston Youth about STD/STIs, condom useabout STD/STIs, condom use

Video Contest on YouTubeVideo Contest on YouTube

Production of Campaign Production of Campaign CommercialCommercial

Print CampaignPrint Campaign

Print CampaignPrint CampaignCondom CardsMBTA Placement

◦ King Bus Ads◦ Subway Stations◦ Inside Buses

www.facebook.com/www.facebook.com/bostonsexED bostonsexED

Chronicles campaign activities with photos and videos created by the Commission.

Fans of the page are allowed to anonymously ask questions about sexual health that are answered by Commission staff.

They can also participate in opinion polls or get answers to frequently asked questions about sexually transmitted infections

Link to free STI testing sites in Boston

T-Shirt and condom giveaways

www.facebook.com/www.facebook.com/bostonsexED bostonsexED “Protect Yourself in Style” Back-

to-school contest Sponsored by Puma (Sept 2009)

Boston sexED Fan Page on Boston sexED Fan Page on FacebookFacebookJuly 15, 2009 the page officially

launched.There are over 1,500 fans as of

Oct 22, 2009

Demographic BreakdownDemographic Breakdown

Growth of fan base over time broken down by age and gender demographics.

The majority of the fans (47%) are within the target audience’s profile being between the age of 13-17 years old. 36% are between the age of 18-24. The fan base skews female.

Top Cities the Fans are Top Cities the Fans are fromfrom

Local and National Media Local and National Media CoverageCoverage

IntegrateIntegrateIntegrate traditional media

materials (TV, Radio, Print) with new and social media◦Consistent messaging, design, look

and feel

PromotePromoteUse current channels of communication to

promote your social media platforms◦ Email signatures◦ Print materials◦ Put buttons on your website

Cross-promote:◦Use social media platforms to promote

content you have on other platforms

Connect with UsConnect with UsFacebook.com/HealthyBostonFacebook.com/BostonSexED (STI prevention)Facebook.com/LiveByExample (violence

prevention)

Twitter.com/HealthyBoston

YouTube.com/BostonPublicHealth