Video projection helps storytellers and key audiences reflect on what’s important to promote screening for colorectal cancer

Background: Video can be an effective way to improve testimonials by creating a more engaging and impactful experience for audiences.

Program background:

As part of our work with CDC on the Screen For Your Life (SFL) campaign, we used video projection to bring testimonials to life. Based on insights from testing where participants preferred the tone and narrative used in the campaign concepts, we opted to take a unique approach to demonstrate self-efficacy, projecting video snippets of their life as an overlay to them delivering testimonial content.

We developed a series of videos, telling the story of men and women representative of the intended audience, making the choice to put their health and life goals first. Aside from allowing us to show the benefits of regular screening, this video projection concept established:

• Credibility - Having people share their experiences builds trust and credibility, offering audiences a credible source of information about colorectal cancer screening.
• Emotional connection - Hearing voices, seeing facial expressions and body language help make the content relatable and engaging, allowing audiences to connect emotionally.
• Authenticity - authentic representation of audiences at high risk of colorectal cancer is critical to resonance. The video within the video concept, allowed us to show scripted content in a real way with people that were part of the intended audience.

Evaluation Methods and Results: We will show how this mix of studio projection and personal storytelling allowed variety in storytelling and gave us the ability to feature a diverse range of voices and perspectives. We tested the approach among key impacted audiences, Black men and women, and Hispanic men and women to get audience perspectives on effectiveness.

Conclusions: N/A

Implications for research and/or practice: Enhancing testimonials with innovative video approaches, such as projection, resonates with audiences to communication important information about and promote cancer screener.