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Vodacom turns a Tiktok challenge into a hearing test for youth in new campaign
Vodacom is using tiktok to get youth to test their hearing with their new #hearingchallenge campaign. vodacom worked with up-and-coming local musicians, influencers and the national hearing test app hearza, to bring it to life.
The World Health Organization estimates that 34 million children live with disabling hearing loss and many more with milder hearing losses. In South Africa hearing screening isn't mandatory – leaving youth with undiagnosed hearing loss to face learning challenges.
The good news is that with the appropriate interventions and support, the effects of hearing loss can be moderated. This is why Vodacom wanted to find a way to get the youth to test their hearing and get the help they need.
Simon Fabricius, Creative Director, VMLY&R: “We felt there had to be a better way to capture GenZ’s attention and make them aware of this problem. We came up with an innovative idea that uses social media to get more kids to test their hearing.”
The team worked alongside an audiologist from HearZA, popular musicians Lady Du, Slikour, DJ Stresser and Given Kanu to recreate a hearing test on TikTok. They used the methodology of a speech-in-noise test to create an Amapiano song that acts as a hearing pre-screening test and launched it on TikTok as an interactive filter.
Those who passed helped reach more people by sharing their attempts on TikTok. The challenge encourages those who have trouble completing it to download the HearZA app for a clinically approved test. Ensuring early detection and treatment, so that every child has the opportunity to get good grades and reach their full potential.
Sunaina Parbhu, Social Media Portfolio Manager, Vodacom: "We are proud to be part of this initiative. Our goal and purpose has always been to connect people for a better future, it’s amazing when we can use technology to ensure that everyone has access to good health and wellbeing, and do so in such an engaging and fun way.”
