OWN’s initiative to empower Black women to own their health focused on three key pillars: 1. Proactive Prevention, including routine screenings, nutrition, physical activity, health education and accountability; 2. The Unspoken, such as fertility, motherhood, sexual and relationship health, trauma, financial health and treatment options; 3. Superwoman, the pressure to project an image of strength and to resist accepting help or prioritizing caregiving to others. The OWN Your Health campaign identified top women professionals in the health and wellness industry to create an advisory board that helped shape the initiative. It kicked off in 2021 with a launch spot featuring the song “Stand Up For Something” by Grammy- and Academy Award-winner Common and Academy Award-nominee Andra Day, as well as a number of PSAs around health that ran on OWN’s linear network. Other components included a social media giveaway with Shea Moisture and a video with couple Devale & Khadeen Ellis that focused on “unspoken conversations,” such as sexual and relationship health to encourage more meaningful dialogue as a catalyst for Black women to prioritize health and wellness. The team worked with a number of partners to develop branded content, such as Mattress Firm on the topic of getting good sleep and Hologic and its “Project Health Equity” to educate, inform and shed light on breast and uterine health issues specific to Black Women. The nearly yearlong campaign has seen its success continue into 2022, with a dedicated social media following and plenty of engagement and interactions.
