COVID-19 communications that talk to the Nation

CulturalPulse, in collaboration with Bastion, led the development of Healthdirect Australia’s COVID-19 awareness campaign, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

HealthDirect engaged CulturalPulse to develop a communications campaign aimed at generating awareness among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. The campaign focused on educating the public about the anticipated growth of COVID cases as we navigated reopening.

HealthDirect were looking for ways to promote preventative actions, instil confidence in the health system’s capacity, and provide guidance on COVID-safe behaviour. CulturalPulse’s role encompassed crafting a campaign that not only raised COVID-19 awareness but also enhanced education for CALD communities. This involved creating culturally contextual and translated health information, strategically amplified within these diverse communities.

The Approach

CALD Creative and Content:

• CulturalPulse targeted 16 languages (Arabic, Chinese [Simplified & Traditional], Hindi, Punjabi, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Turkish, Khmer, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Bengali, Serbian and Assyrian speaking communities in Australia).
• Development of culturally contextual and translated health messages. Messaging prioritised simplicity and shareability, recognising that CALD audiences respond more favourably to customised content.
• Sixteen static digital assets, tailored to each language, were created, resulting in 96 assets overall.

CALD Media:

• CulturalPulse led the distribution of content through various channels, including social media, multicultural publications, community groups, and influencers.
• The strategy included Facebook (targeted advertising), Instagram, WhatsApp, EDM, SMS, print, and community events. An emphasis on informal channels and a CALD Influencer program further broadened the campaign’s reach.

The Outcome

The ‘Get Covid Clarity’ messaging extended well beyond mainstream marketing through multicultural channels. The campaign, active from February 28 to October 31, 2022, produced significant outcomes directly attributable to CulturalPulse:

• 14 million total impressions in target communities.
• 6 million reach, leading to clicks on the HealthDirect website and calls to the National Coronavirus Hotline.
• 192 assets were created, including 6 key messages in 16 languages.
• 128 new assets in August 2022, updating messages in 16 languages.
• Collaborated with 50 multicultural media partners and engaged 200 influencers.

This comprehensive approach resulted in significant engagement, heightened awareness of the healthdirect portal, and a substantial increase in website visits and calls to the language service enquiry line at the National Coronavirus Helpline.