Developing a successful mass media campaign

This brief looks at the potential benefits of using a mass media campaign as an education tool for reaching Medicare beneficiaries and their families. It provides basic information about how to plan a campaign in your community with a focus on process--what needs to be done, and suggestions for ways to do it. The campaign described here had two components: a Medicare information guide and media exposure through television and newspaper stories. These can be tailored to the capacity of your organization and the needs of your community. Consider combining your media campaign with a series of workshops to reinforce the information in your publication and provide a forum for people to ask questions about their specific concerns.