CSR Spotlight: CVS Health’s “Be The First” Campaign

CVS Health has emerged as a standout in the health and wellness space, showing what it truly means to align brand values with real-world impact. With growing awareness around social and health issues, genuine corporate responsibility is more important than ever, and CVS delivered with its groundbreaking “Be The First” campaign, taking meaningful action to improve public health.

About CVS Health and “Be The First”:

• CVS Health, one of the largest pharmacy and healthcare providers in the United States, made headlines in 2014 when it became the first national retail pharmacy to stop selling tobacco products. This bold move wasn’t just a business decision, it was a signal that CVS was committed to walking the talk when it comes to health.
• Building on that momentum, CVS launched the “Be The First” campaign in 2016, a five-year, $50 million initiative focused on tobacco-use prevention. Its main goal being to help create the first tobacco-free generation.

Visibility:

• CVS Health issued press releases and positioned its leadership, including then-CEO Larry Merlo, as champions of the initiative. Their voices gave the campaign a face and helped stabilize the company’s role as a health advocate.

Partnerships:

• To reach more communities, CVS teamed up with trusted organizations like the Truth Initiative and the American Cancer Society. These collaborations added credibility and helped the campaign extend its reach through joint events, educational programs, and shared messaging.

Media Engagement:

• On platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, CVS connected directly with younger audiences. Videos such as “One Good Reason”, which featured teens sharing their motivations for staying tobacco-free, helped personalize the message and sparked conversation using hashtags #BeTheFirst and #OneGoodReason.

Community Outreach:

• CVS supported youth prevention programs in schools across the country, offering grants and resources for educators. This grassroots component played a crucial role in building awareness and inspiring long-term behavior change.

Strength of the Campaign:

• The strength of “Be The First” lies in its hopeful, empowering message. By focusing on the idea of being the first generation to break free from tobacco, CVS framed the campaign in a way that felt optimistic and action-oriented, especially for younger audiences. The blend of storytelling, data-backed education, and community involvement made the message stick.

• “Be The First” wasn’t a marketing gimmick, it was a natural extension of CVS Health’s mission to help people live healthier lives. The campaign reflected the company’s core values of integrity, accountability, and commitment to health, all while reinforcing its shift from being just a pharmacy chain to a broader health solutions leader.
• This move also helped pave the way for later initiatives like CVS’s “HealthHUB” stores and its acquisition of Aetna Insurance, signaling a deep and lasting commitment to public health.

CVS Health’s “Be The First” campaign is a textbook example of how CSR can be both authentic and effective. By aligning its message with its mission, CVS didn’t just talk about health, they took real steps to protect it, especially for future generations. The campaign’s impact continues to resonate, setting a high bar for corporate responsibility in the wellness industry.

CVS Health. (2016). Be The First Campaign. CVSHealth.com

Truth Initiative. (2016). Partnership with CVS. TruthInitiative.org

American Cancer Society. (2016). Youth Tobacco Prevention Programs. Cancer.org