Australians are being prompted to ‘Arm Yourself’ and be vaccinated against Covid-19 as the Federal Government launched a new advertising campaign yesterday (Sunday) to increase public uptake of the vaccine rollout.
This follows criticism from various quarters that the previous campaign was boring compared to international ads aired in countries such as the UK and New Zealand. It was fronted by the country’s former Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Nick Coatsworth.
More than $40-million is being spent on the new strategy, which is using TV, radio, newspapers, online and outdoor display advertising.
According to the Federal Government, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, which in some cases have shown higher rates of vaccine hesitancy, will be a focus of the campaign.
“Doctors’ groups such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners have been calling for the ad campaign to be reset for some time, amid concerns about rising vaccine hesitancy in the community because of changing medical advice over extremely rare blood clots caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine for under 60s,” the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The new campaign shows ordinary Australians revealing band-aids on their arms after getting immunised and has slogans such as “now is the time to arm your family against Covid-19” and “now is the time to arm your workmates against Covid-19”.
“A Covid-19 vaccine is your best defence and our only way forward,” is the central message of the latest communications strategy.
Lt Gen John Frewen, the military officer appointed to head the national Covid vaccine task force in early June, originally said the campaign would be delayed due to a lack of Pfizer vaccines in Australia for under ‘60s.
But with the number of Pfizer doses arriving in Australia increasing to one million per week from 19 July, the campaign is now ready to launch.
“This is the next phase of the communications campaign to encourage Australians to get vaccinated, to protect themselves, their loved ones and the wider community,” he said.
“We are working as hard as we can to ensure every Australian who wants one will get a vaccine by the end of the year. Test, trace, isolate; now it’s time to vaccinate. It’s been a tough time for everyone, but I know we can get through this.”
The campaign was devised by ad agency BMF and rolls out in 36 languages. It will likely be revised again by the end of the year.