"Saving the Smallest" Infant Mortality Awareness & Prevention

Saving the Smallest: Infant Mortality Awareness & Prevention Campaign
In response to Mississippi’s ongoing infant mortality crisis, The Focus Group partnered with the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) to develop and launch Saving the Smallest, a statewide awareness and prevention campaign designed to educate families, build trust, and connect parents with lifesaving maternal and infant health resources.
Mississippi continues to report one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation, with nearly 1 in 100 babies dying before their first birthday. Recognizing the urgency, MSDH declared Infant Mortality a Public Health Emergency in August 2025, creating an opportunity for strategic, public-facing intervention.
Launched on January 23, 2026, the MSDH-branded campaign delivers medically accurate, culturally relevant messaging focused on the leading contributors to infant mortality, including premature birth, unsafe sleep practices, and delayed prenatal care. The campaign empowers families with clear, actionable guidance on protecting infant health before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and throughout a child’s first year of life.
A central component of the initiative is EveryBabyFirst.com, a dedicated microsite serving as a trusted resource hub. The site provides educational content, prevention information, and direct access to key MSDH support programs, including WIC nutrition assistance and maternal health services, helping families quickly connect with critical resources.
To maximize impact, the campaign combines strategic storytelling, compelling visuals, and a comprehensive multi-channel media approach. While the messaging reaches audiences statewide, media investments are concentrated in Mississippi communities with the highest rates of infant mortality, preterm birth, and low birth weight.
Recognizing the challenges of reaching rural and underserved populations, The Focus Group implemented an integrated media strategy leveraging traditional, social, digital, and outdoor advertising. This broad, targeted approach ensures that trusted health information reaches families where they live, work, and seek information.
By turning a complex public health emergency into clear, accessible, action-oriented communications, Saving the Smallest shows how strategic marketing can build awareness, encourage healthy behaviors, and support better outcomes for Mississippi’s mothers, babies, and communities.