The Situation
Philippine vaccine confidence collapsed after the Dengvaxia controversy. Trust dropped from 82 percent in 2015 to 21 percent in 2020. The school-based immunization program lost credibility with parents. Local polio and measles cases resurged. Health workers attempting to reintroduce vaccine benefits to communities were met with suspicion and accusations that vaccines would cause more harm than good.
MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) wanted to address the crisis, but vaccines had become deeply politicized. A top-down corporate campaign would have been dismissed. The conversation needed to be rebuilt from the bottom up: through the healthcare workers, teachers, and local officials who had the closest relationships with Filipino families.
The Approach
Phase 1: Frontliner Research & Pain Point Mapping
Conducted stakeholder interviews with local healthcare workers to understand the specific challenges they faced when encouraging vaccination. The interviews revealed what frontliners needed most: not more data, but communication tools and language that could address the emotional objections parents raised in their communities.
Phase 2: Roundtable Narrative Building
Organized a roundtable discussion with mothers, teachers, and doctors to build a campaign narrative grounded in real-life experiences. The roundtable surfaced the emotional stories and community-level concerns that would form the foundation of the “Bakuna Muna!” (Vaccines First!) campaign messaging.
Phase 3: Multi-Audience Educational Materials Production
Developed informational leaflets, presentations, and videos tailored to three distinct audiences: children, parents, and seniors. Each set of materials addressed the specific vaccine concerns of its audience segment. The content equipped frontliners with tools they could use directly in their communities rather than generic corporate messaging.
Phase 4: Government Endorsement & National Rollout
Secured endorsement from the League of Cities Philippines (LCP), a government secretariat comprising 145 member-cities. LCP became the primary channel for rolling out the Bakuna Muna! program nationally. A social media campaign and dedicated website were launched to support the grassroots rollout with digital reach.
The Results
- 145 Member-cities in the League of Cities Philippines endorsing the program
- 82% to 21% The vaccine trust collapse that the campaign was designed to reverse
- LCP endorsement Government secretariat adopted as the national rollout channel
Campaign Highlights:
- Stakeholder interviews with local healthcare workers revealed frontliner communication gaps
- Roundtable with mothers, teachers, and doctors built the campaign narrative from real experiences
- Educational materials tailored to three audiences: children, parents, and seniors
- Dedicated website and social media campaign launched to support grassroots rollout
- “Bakuna Muna!” slogan reframed the vaccination conversation around public health fundamentals
The Takeaway
When trust in an institution collapses, the institution can’t rebuild it by talking louder. Someone else has to carry the message. MSD‘s Bakuna Muna! campaign worked because it gave the tools to the people communities already trusted: the health workers, teachers, and local officials who see those families every day.
- Industry: Healthcare, Public Sector
- Service: Strategic Planning
- Solution: For International Brands Entering PH
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you rebuild vaccine confidence after a national trust collapse?
From the bottom up. A corporate campaign from a pharmaceutical company would have deepened skepticism. MSD‘s approach started with the people who talk to families every day: healthcare workers, teachers, and local officials. Equipping them with the right communication tools restored trust at the community level where the resistance actually lived.
Why interview frontliners before designing the campaign materials?
Because frontliners know what parents actually say when they refuse vaccines. The objections aren’t scientific. They’re emotional and political. Stakeholder interviews surfaced the real barriers, not the ones a pharmaceutical company would assume. The materials were built to answer those specific objections.
What made the League of Cities Philippines the right rollout partner?
LCP represents 145 member-cities and operates as a government secretariat with direct access to local government units. Its endorsement gave the program institutional credibility and a distribution network that could reach communities across the country without relying on the pharmaceutical company’s own brand.
How does emotional storytelling work for a public health campaign?
Data alone doesn’t reverse a trust collapse. The roundtable with mothers, teachers, and doctors produced real-life stories that connected with communities on a personal level. When a mother describes protecting her child, the conversation shifts from political controversy to family health. That’s where the decision to vaccinate actually happens.
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