The U.S. Ad Council's new national COVID-19 vaccine ad campaign goes for the soft sell
Many people are counting the hours until they can get their COVID-19 vaccination, and a much smaller number will never get the shot, but about 40 percent of Americans say they are on the fence — and that's the group the Ad Council is targeting with its new ad campaign, launching Thursday. The ads will run for months on TV, radio, streaming services, social media, and other platforms. They will evolve with the availability of the vaccine and any new developments.
The ad campaign's tagline is "It's Up to You" — specifically, it's up to you to learn about the vaccines, says Ad Council president and CEO Lisa Sherman. But the ads also suggest it's up to everyone to end this pandemic so we can hug our loved ones again without potentially infecting them with a deadly virus. The Ad Council directs viewers to a new website, GetVaccineAnswers.org, with information about the vaccines and where they can get inoculated.
The Ad Council is the nonprofit group behind such public service ads as the Smokey Bear campaign and "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" ads. This ad campaign, using more than $50 million in donated funds and $500 million worth of donated media and talent, is one of the organization's biggest and most ambitious efforts. "We're dealing with the biggest issues of our lifetime," Sherman said. "We recognized pretty quickly that unless people could learn more about the vaccine and get educated, they may not take them. And then we wouldn't be any better off next year than we are this year."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Ad Council shaped its campaign on months of in-depth focus groups and surveys. "Some possible messaging approaches, such as encouraging Americans to be vaccinated because it's 'the right thing to do,' were rejected as pushy or accusatory in surveyed groups," The Washington Post reports. The soft sell worked better.
People need good information "to help them make good decisions for themselves," Liz Hamel, who oversees coronavirus surveys at the Kaiser Family Foundation, tells the Post. "We know that most people who are still deciding whether to get the vaccine want it to be their personal choice."
The Ad Council's ads will fill the gap between an aborted $300 million ad blitz envisioned by the Trump administration and the Biden administration's coming pro-vaccine campaign. These ads pull the heartstrings, but other Ad Council COVID-19 campaigns are a little more fun. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published