Driving Vaccine Uptake in Côte d’Ivoire and Togo for the MasterCard Foundation
Challenge
The MasterCard Foundation approached THOP to support efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Côte d’Ivoire and Togo, where insights revealed low public interest in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine distributed via the COVAX initiative. The assignment involved multi-stakeholder collaboration with CDC Africa, COVAX, and country-level public health authorities, and required building public trust and driving behavioural change.
Solution
THOP delivered a strategic advisory and content-driven campaign that centred on building awareness and fostering trust through authentic storytelling, stakeholder mobilisation, and targeted media engagement. The goal was to humanise the vaccine journey and promote citizen-led advocacy across both countries.
Tactics
- End-to-end campaign documentation:
Captured every stage of the vaccine rollout, including arrival, delivery, transportation, storage, distribution, and administration, under the banner ONE VACCINE, ensuring visibility and consistency.
- Community testimonial creation:
Produced and amplified video content featuring citizens and community leaders who voluntarily received the vaccine, reinforcing trust at grassroots level.
- Stakeholder facilitation:
Coordinated participation and visibility of key national authorities, including Ministers of Health, Permanent Secretaries, and senior public health officials, at events in both Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.
- Media content development:
Produced a mini-documentary capturing the full journey with compelling and accessible storytelling for both national and international audiences.
Outcome
The campaign contributed to record-high vaccine uptake in both Côte d’Ivoire and Togo, now recognised as the leading vaccine-adopting countries in Francophone Africa. As part of the broader African campaign led by the BCW network, the initiative won a SABRE Africa Award and was shortlisted for a SABRE Global Award, validating its impact and excellence in communication for public health.
Advisory Role
THOP played a central strategic and operational advisory role throughout the project:
- Trust-building strategy:
Guided message framing to combat vaccine hesitancy and increase public confidence.
- Stakeholder engagement:
Identified and mobilised national institutions and public figures for enhanced credibility.
- Narrative development:
Crafted stories that humanised the vaccine journey and ensured cultural relevance.
- Content strategy and amplification:
Ensured wide dissemination of materials across broadcast, digital, and grassroots channels to maximise reach and resonance.
