WASHINGTON (TIP): Amid lingering doubts about the Covid-19 vaccine, the Ad Council and the Covid Collaborative have launched the “It’s Up to You” campaign featuring celebrities like Indian American medical expert Sanjay Gupta.
The campaign features television, radio, banner, and online video advertisements, as well as GetVaccineAnswers.org, a website for frequently asked questions about the vaccine.
The initiative, which began on Feb. 25, focuses on building vaccine confidence and providing resources to help Americans make an informed decision about getting the vaccine.
Included in the campaign are various ads in English and Spanish scattered across televisions, radios, and social media sites all over the country encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.
The tagline, “It’s Up to You,” sends the message that getting the latest vaccine information and stopping the spread of the virus is up to the viewer.
Representing one of the largest public education efforts in US history, more than 300 major brands, media companies, community-based organizations, faith leaders, medical experts and other trusted messengers are supporting the campaigns designed to reach distinct audiences, the Ad Council says.
Warner Media is co-creating Public Service Announcements (PSAs) with their in-house 10th Street Production Company featuring Daveed Diggs, Sanjay Gupta, and Rosie Perez, the Council said in a media release.
The assets will be supported across the Warner Media and AT&T video ecosystem and made available to other media properties as well.
“When the marketing and media communities come together and amplify urgent public health messages, we can be an incredible force for good,” said Linda Yaccarino, Board Chair of the Ad Council and Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships of NBC Universal.
“I can appreciate that the campaign is focusing on actions that an individual can take, to indicate that everyone should play a part and must play a part in this pandemic to protect communities,” Rupali Limaye, an Indian American medical expert told Verywellhealth.com.
“I appreciate that it has a call to action,” Limaye, director of behavioral and implementation science for the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland, was quoted as saying.
“People must feel as though they can do the action, or have self-efficacy and believe that the action is effective, or response efficacy. They must also believe there is a threat to nudge them to act.”
“I think the key is to identify trusted messengers that recommend doable actions so that people feel like they can do something to protect their loved ones and communities.”
Videos often depict life going back to “normal”: brunch, trips, and family gatherings. However, according to Limaye, it’s still a little tricky because life will not be returning to what is considered normal for a while.
Back in January, the World Health Organization said that it might not be possible to achieve global herd immunity this year.
It’s important for viewers to understand that life won’t immediately go back to pre-pandemic days, but receiving the vaccine is a step toward that goal, Limaye told Verywell.
It’s still necessary to maintain social distance, wear masks, and stay at home even after getting vaccinated, she stressed.