An Evaluation of a Super Communication Campaign: Heroes Are Among Us. . . Disguised in Lab Coats

Background:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) celebrated Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW) April 23 - 29, 2017. MLPW aims to increase public awareness of laboratory professionals’ important contributions to public health. DLS recognized laboratorians with a superhero themed communication campaign. DLS also used the superhero theme in the CSELS exhibit at the Agency’s Georgia Community Open House on April 21, 2017.

Program background:  DLS selected a superhero theme for the communication campaign since laboratorians, like superheroes, work behind the scenes for the greater good. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of laboratorians’ contributions to public health via posters created to look like comic books at several CDC campuses and digital signage in strategic locations; social media messages on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram; a similarly-themed banner on www.cdc.gov/labsystems; an Agency intranet article; daily e-mails to profile historic laboratorians; and a superhero photo booth at a division-wide social event. At the Georgia Community Open House, a comic book display featured “Guardians of Public Health” from each of CSELS four divisions. At the exhibit, participants interacted with superhero-clad personnel, took photos for social media, and learned about the Center’s important work through a trivia game. 

Evaluation Methods and Results:  The Barcelona Principles 2015 guided the evaluation of this campaign.  DLS used the Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) Framework to measure awareness, attitudes, and opinions at the outtake and outcome levels of this model.  Specifically, DLS documented increased exposure via selected outputs, and audience perceptions of reactions and feedback. Following MLPW, DLS conducted a focus group to understand degrees of change in awareness, opinions regarding laboratorians, and relevant attitudes.  DLS is analyzing and interpreting additional evaluation data for future campaigns. The initial Facebook post announcing MLPW had a reach of 349,840, 660% more than the average CDC post for April 2017.  Importantly, the post was shared 1,812 times, while the average post was shared 147 times. The post featured the DLS laboratory training website which was visited nearly three times more during MLPW 2017 than MLPW 2016.  Focus group data indicated positive feelings about the campaign and belief that laboratory work is important and mirrors the work of superheroes.

Conclusions:  Based on the data collected, the launched communication campaign celebrating MLPW 2017 met important aims: appropriately featured the critical work of laboratorians; enhanced the sense of unity among laboratorians across the Agency; aided in sharing DLS’ work; and contributed to positive attitudes towards laboratorians as important to the public health workforce.

Implications for research and/or practice:  The evaluation findings provide insights for planning and implementing DLS communication activities. These data provide important considerations to design and implement the division’s social media activities.  With increased positive opinions of laboratorians, DLS can build on this momentum, and continue to enhance awareness of the Agency’s critical role in laboratory practice and science.  The long-held, widespread love for cloaked crusaders remains a meaningful metaphor describing the work of laboratorians and division contributions to laboratory systems.