How Sioux Falls is using Snapchat to dispel myths about vaccines

Megan Raposa -

Simplified: The city is in the midst of a $100,000 public health marketing campaign aimed at dispelling misinformation and sharing facts about the COVID-19 vaccine. One of the ways they're reaching people? Snapchat.

Why it matters:

  • About 2 in 5 Sioux Falls residents has been vaccinated, which means there's a ways to go to hit vaccination targets set by state and federal governments.
  • City efforts go beyond Snapchat. They're also using multilingual billboards and other social media marketing to share facts about the vaccine.
  • The city is also working with hospitals in town to be in lock-step on messaging, said Sandy Frentz, public health manager with the city health department.
  • This campaign – developed through a contract with local ad agency Fresh Produce – also comes as demand for vaccines has slowed, Frentz said.
"We know that there's going to be a handful of people that don't care how many facts you give them, they're not going to vaccinate," she said. "Let's take the folks that are trying to make their decision, and give them the tools they need to hopefully make the decision to vaccinate."

What messages is the city sending?

Ads and billboards are based around common myths about the vaccine, said BryAnn Becker Knecht, communications coordinator for Mayor Paul TenHaken's office.

"We're really focused on getting residents across the community accurate, fact-based information about the COVID vaccines," she said.

That includes the following:

  • There is no coronavirus in the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • COVID-19 vaccines cannot alter your DNA.
  • There's no link between the COVID-19 vaccine and infertility.

How are they measuring success?

The city is tracking some typical advertising metrics like impressions, but it's going to be tough to draw a clear line between the education campaign and the number of people getting vaccinated, Becker Knecht said.

For Frentz, every person who chooses to get vaccinated is a win.

What happens next?

The educational campaign runs through September.