Shaped primarily by discussions with Generation Xers and older millennials, a new campaign from a coalition formed by the CDC Foundation is using a familiar aesthetic to educate adults about managing high blood pressure.
The “Hypertension Bites” initiative’s approach is inspired by ’90s reality TV, according to a launch announcement from the Hypertension Control Alliance, a coalition assembled by the CDC Foundation with financial support from AstraZeneca.
The campaign’s website is decked out in punchy colors and grungy fonts and offers resources about the importance of controlling blood pressure, as well as an interactive tool to build a customized “control plan.”
It also features a series of videos in which already-stressed adults experience a range of mishaps—burst grocery bags, grill fires and more, all accompanied by onscreen text proclaiming “That Bites”—to which they merely respond, “Whatever.” When they try to give the same reaction to a doctor telling them their blood pressure is climbing, they’re told that “it’s dangerous to ‘whatever’ your hypertension.”
The campaign, which is rolling out amid February’s American Heart Month, is meant to help adults of all ages understand the importance of fitting blood pressure management into their busy schedules.
“High blood pressure doesn’t announce itself. It builds quietly while people are busy living their lives: raising families, building careers and managing stress,” Rachna Chandora, acting chief program officer at the CDC Foundation, said in the announcement.
“Serious damage from high blood pressure can develop long before people take action,” Chandora continued. “Hypertension Bites is about creating urgency and turning that urgency into action—helping people track their numbers, adopt healthy habits, follow treatment when needed, and protect their future.”
The CDC Foundation formed the Hypertension Control Alliance early last year, a spokesperson confirmed to Fierce Pharma Marketing. Aimed at reducing uncontrolled high blood pressure across the U.S., the coalition includes partners across public health, clinical care and the private sector, including AstraZeneca, which has provided the group’s initial investment.
Along with national educational campaigns like “Hypertension Bites,” the alliance’s work includes both nationwide community outreach and local interventions, with the latter introduced first in the CDC’s hometown of Atlanta.