The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) abruptly halted its successful "Wild to Mild" flu vaccination campaign this week following a review by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The campaign, which launched in 2023 and was renewed for the current flu season, aimed to encourage flu vaccinations, especially among high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children. The decision comes during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s first full week as head of HHS, raising questions about the future direction of public health messaging under new leadership.
The "Wild to Mild" campaign utilized a creative approach, featuring images of wild animals like lions alongside their cute counterparts, such as kittens. This analogy effectively conveyed how immunization can tame the severity of the flu. Primarily a digital initiative, the campaign also had a significant presence in public transit systems, with ads wrapping trains in four major cities and displayed at mass transit stations.
"Wild to Mild" branding was wrapped around trains in four major cities, and ads were featured at mass transit stations.
These efforts resulted in the campaign reaching over 30 million riders and generating an additional 30 million digital impressions by the end of October last year. Erin Burns, associate director for communications in the CDC's Influenza Division, noted the campaign's impact.
"We found that it was very successful—people understood the message, [and] they were swayed by the message." – Erin Burns, associate director for communications in the CDC's Influenza Division
However, on Wednesday, paid media for the campaign ended, and its webpages went offline, redirecting users to older materials. This sudden halt has drawn attention to the influence of HHS leadership on public health strategies.
"The decision to stop the campaign was made by leadership at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, who were advised by HHS to do so."
The campaign was a joint effort between the CDC and HHS, designed to address declining flu vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Its messaging aimed to reset public expectations about what flu vaccines can achieve, emphasizing "partial protection" rather than "complete prevention."
"reset public expectations around what a flu vaccine can do in the event that it does not entirely prevent illness"
Despite its apparent success, the campaign faced internal challenges. Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, criticized CDC officials for allegedly misrepresenting guidance from Secretary Kennedy and President Trump's administration.
"Unfortunately, officials inside the CDC who are averse to Secretary Kennedy and President Trump's agenda seem to be intentionally falsifying and misrepresenting guidance they receive." – Andrew Nixon, HHS spokesperson
Marla Dalton, executive director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, praised the campaign's effectiveness in conveying critical public health messages.
"The CDC campaign is a creative and effective way of conveying an extremely important public health message about 'partial protection' vs. 'complete prevention' of disease." – Marla Dalton, executive director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
