An innovative social marketing campaign to improve birth outcomes in African-American communities

Closing the Gap (CTG) is a three-year pilot project funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to reduce infant mortality in four predominantly African-American community areas in Chicago. This project uses a four-pronged approach to increase awareness of the persistent racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes in the target communities which includes evaluation of birth outcomes via a chart review of Medicaid providers by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, a mass media campaign, peer education, and the establishment of a network of local maternal and child health providers. The media campaign consisted of mass transit and billboard placement, as well as the development of a poster for distribution in local businesses, clinics, and community-based organizations. During an 18 month period, the CTG project staff successfully developed and launched four sets of images, including two with a celebrity spokesperson, Common, a Grammy-award winning music artist and Chicago native. Information will be shared about highlights in the processes of image development, extensive image testing with community members, outreach strategy development and implementation, and the costs associated with each phase of the social marketing campaign.