Real Voices Campaign & Getting to Zero
How can we quickly and efficiently spread a unified message on how our community can beat COVID-19?
When the business community and regional hospitals needed a coordinated strategy to communicate safety issues surrounding the COVID pandemic, Regina Carswell Russo was tapped to lead the effort, establishing the Regional COVID Communications Center/RC3.
Procter and Gamble created a COVID prevention strategy campaign for the region called #MasksOn in July 2020. This was launched with support from the Regional COVID Communications Center run by RRight Now Communications.
The campaign included social media, outdoor advertising, television public service announcements and bi-lingual print collateral targeting southwest Ohio/Northern Kentucky and west Indiana where COVID cases were spiking. The region needed the #MasksOn campaign to directly reach African American and Hispanic audiences at a time when COVID cases were disproportionately affecting those communities.
RRight Now Communications created a secondary campaign supported by P&G using REAL VOICES of African American COVID-19 survivors. RRight Now identified subjects and worked as creative director with a local agency to produce video PSAs, catching the eye of national news outlets. CNN reached out to RRight Now Communications, resulting in a live interview with one of the REAL VOICES survivors on that network.
Road to Zero
But we didn’t stop there. RRight Now Communications united six local television, radio, and print news outlets to present an hour-long program created to generate hope and solidarity among regional residents facing the harshest season of the COVID pandemic.
The program was shared on TV by WCPO 9, WKRC Local12, and CETConnect/Think-TV. It also streamed on The Enquirer, and 91.7 WVXU Cincinnati Public Radio. Radio One stations (101.1FM The Wiz, 100.3FM Cincinnati’s R&B station, 1230AM The Buzz, and 101.5 FM) were also partners in this initiative.
This first-of-its-kind media event convened leaders in business and healthcare, plus front-line hospital workers, local celebrities, and respected voices in education, sports, the arts, and faith-based organizations to share an urgent message with the public.
The unifying message: Everyone can do something to help reach zero positive cases, zero hospitalizations, zero closures, zero deaths.
Press Coverage
ABC News
“Cincinnati has 4,061 total coronavirus cases and 78 related deaths, according to the city's Health Department. Since June 1, the city has seen 2,980 new cases, an average of 45 new cases a day, according to the health data.
Ta'Marsh Pope, who still has a cough, said she jumped on the opportunity to help with the COVID-19 mask campaign and recorded her story. She said her message is simple, wear a mask to protect the ones you love.”
Cincinnati Enquirer
“In what can be described as a unique sign of solidarity surrounding COVID-19, six local news outlets are collaborating on an hour-long program created to generate hope and unify the region when it comes to the pandemic.”
WVXU
“‘Journalists and our local media have been a powerful force in helping our region navigate this year. And now they are pulling that power together to set the region's eyes on a common goal, getting to zero and getting through the next few months so we can live, work, and play safely. We are overwhelmed at how many people jumped at the idea of participating.’”
WCPO
“As 2020 comes to an end, WCPO 9 and other local media outlets are coming together to show a special program meant to create hope and solidarity among Tri-State residents as the area continues through the pandemic.”