Long COVID awareness

For Washington State Department of Health 

An illustration shows a woman walking in an urban park setting. She has stopped to cough into her elbow. A shapeshifting that represents Long COVID spies on her nearby, with its tentacles wrapped around a lamppost. The creature is gray and has red nodules on its head.

Industry

Public health
Healthcare

What we did

Video
Web
Messaging
Animation
Media buying

Long COVID is misunderstood. We led with empathy.

Challenge

At the beginning of 2026, the Washington State Department of Health came to us with an ask: Develop a statewide summer media campaign that increased public awareness of Long COVID. It’s a condition that disrupts the daily lives of at least 380,000 people in Washington. But many of those experiencing symptoms are never diagnosed. They might be unfamiliar with the condition or are told they’re imagining their symptoms.

We needed to develop a campaign that informed people while validating their experiences.

Insight

Researchers are still learning about Long COVID. It has dozens of symptoms, and many people don’t believe it’s real. In our research, we heard from people living with Long COVID who said it was a relief to finally have a name for their experience. They wanted to be believed and listened to.

This insight ultimately informed the campaign. We had to provide useful information, but we needed to do it with empathy — acknowledging people’s experiences while also educating the public.

Solution

The campaign would have a brief run, so we wanted it to be sticky — something people would remember and even share. We created an illustrated Long COVID character, which embodied the condition’s tendency to sneak up on people and hang around. In all our materials — including an animated video with an earworm jingle that highlighted common symptoms — we wanted people to know that even though Long COVID is an invisible nuisance, it’s a real one.

We also created posters, flyers and other out-of-home materials that adopted the colorful animated style. These pieces spoke directly to people who might have be living with Long COVID: Your symptoms are real, you’re not alone, and support is available.

All these materials were in English and Spanish.

Results

In the three months of the campaign’s run, it reached 3 million Washington residents. The video made 45 million impressions, and an impressive 97% of viewers watched it from beginning to end. DOH’s website also got 7,800 visits.

Based on our research, familiarity with Long COVID increased by 10% in Washington, and people who recalled the campaign said they were more likely to recognize Long COVID symptoms and seek medical advice. With a short campaign, DOH made a lasting impression, helping more people in Washington recognize Long COVID symptoms and find support.

A picture of a person looking at an ad on their smartphone. The text on the phone screen reads, “Long COVID can drain your energy.” The accompanying image is an illustration of a shapeshifting creature representing Long COVID using its finger to poke an exhausted-looking woman in the cheek.
A picture of an ad on a screen behind the headrest of a car seat. The ad reads “Got a cough that’s always tagging along? It might be Long COVID. Learn about Long COVID: doh.wa.gov/long-covid.” The image on the billboard is an illustration of a woman sitting in the back seat of a car. She is coughing into her elbow. A creature representing Long COVID sits next to her, snapping its fingers to make her cough.
A photo of a poster hanging in a window. The poster reads, “It might be Long COVID. Have a cough that won’t go away for months? Chest pains or trouble breathing? When you know the signs of Long COVID, you can manage your symptoms and get support.” On the poster is an illustration of a man sitting in a barber chair getting his hair cut. He is coughing. The barber is a shapeshifting creature representing Long COVID, holding clippers and a comb.
A photo of two rack cards on a tabletop. The headers on the rack cards read, “These symptoms affecting your life are real, and they may be Long COVID” and “Knowing your symptoms can help you manage them.”
An image of two wallet-sized cards on a wood surface, one showing the front and one showing the back of the card. The front of the card reads, “Long COVID is real. It’s not your imagination, and you’re not alone.” The card is purple and features an illustration of the shapeshifting Long COVID character on it. The back of the card reads, “Long COVID is different for everyone. Recognizing the symptoms can help you manage your condition.” It lists common symptoms and directs people to the DOH website.
A photo of three posters hanging on an exterior wall. The three posters are in Spanish and describe the most common symptoms of and care options for Long COVID.
A photo of an informational flyer on a tabletop. The header reads, “How to identify Long COVID in your patients.” in Spanish.
A photo of a person’s hands typing on a laptop. On the screen is the DOH Long COVID website. The header on the website reads, “What Does Having Long COVID feel like?” Below the text are illustrated images explaining common symptoms.
A photo of six small stickers on a metal pole. The stickers feature illustrated characters, including the shapeshifting Long COVID character, a woman walking with a rainbow umbrella and a Pride flag.
A photo of a billboard. The billboard reads, “Is your cough hanging around? It might be Long COVID. Learn about Long COVID: doh.wa.gov/long-covid.” The image on the billboard is an illustration of a woman coughing as a creature representing Long COVID spies on her nearby, with its tentacles wrapped around a lamppost.

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