Facebook ads vs. Malaria: Using Social Media Campaigns to Promote Health-Seeking Behaviors of Households

Upswell supported all aspects of this project, from helping lead and manage the creative team to running their social media ads. Our team also worked closely with Virtual Labs to implement M&E for the project. Don’t get us started on Virtual Lab, they are fantastic.

The campaign and research study measured the effectiveness of a social media campaign against malaria. Full-scale advertising campaigns were run on Facebook, and outcomes were measured using survey responses from incentivized respondents. Results showed increased use of mosquito nets in certain subgroups and increased preventative behavior for individuals who were shown ads. The study concluded that ad campaigns can change behavior, but advanced targeting may be needed to reach subgroups of interest.