Pandemic safety campaign takes second among industry titans
F*ck It Won’t Cut It, the COVID-19 safety campaign created by COM students, received second place in the community relations category at the prestigious PRWeek Awards — the only winner created by students among 135 nominations.
F*ck It Won’t Cut It was one of five finalists for Best in Community Relations, alongside Finn Partners (nominated twice), Walgreens and GCI Health, and a partnership between Sedano’s supermarkets and La Carreta restaurants. One PRWeek judge called the COM project a “creative use of design to help change behaviors.”
A PRWeek Award is among the industry’s highest accolades, celebrating the best work, people, and agencies in public relations for more than two decades.
“We are honored that our campaign received this honorable mention alongside so many amazing projects and industry leaders,” said Gwyneth Burns (‘22), public relations manager for the campaign. “We are so grateful to PRWeek for including us and celebrating our work.”
As a fully student-run campaign designed for students, Burns added, the campaign intentionally embraced the language, ideas, and concerns experienced daily by the Boston University community. Students deployed infographics, out-of-home ads, and “myth-busting B.S. meters” to deliver its message to students, she said.
Since its launch in August 2020, the F*ck It Won’t Cut It campaign reached more than 3.7 million accounts, generated 47,000 engagements, and gained 6,800 followers across its social media channels. Award judges agreed that the campaign played a role to influence student behavior and keep Boston University COVID-19 cases lower than state and national averages.
“What started as a few kids tossing out ideas in their high school bedrooms has evolved into something beyond our wildest expectations,” said Hailey McKee (‘20), public relations manager for the campaign. “Our team is incredibly grateful to our Boston University community for prioritizing public health and supporting us along the way.”
