• by Larissa Faw , January 12, 2021

Two separate campaigns are launching today designed to ensure every American is aware there are vaccines they need to receive to help fend off COVID-19.

Pfizer and its vaccine partner BioNtech are uniting with an alliance of healthcare associations to raise awareness of its recently approved vaccine. This collaborative effort includes the American Nurses Association, National Black Nurses Association, American Pharmacists Association, The American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American College of Preventive Medicine.

The “Because of This” creative, in collaboration with Mischief @ No Fixed Address and Dini von Mueffling Communications (DVMC), uses real people who provided personal footage to remind others it is because of intimate, interpersonal moments that we should all get vaccinated.

There are four PSAs in the campaign, including one that documents an essential worker father saying goodbye to his toddler son to underscore the emotional push to sign up for the preventive treatment.

Anchoring these spots is the message: “Science can make it possible. Only you can make it real.”

Viewers are directed to visit SciencePossible.com, a portal linking to third-party sites offering more detailed information about COVID-19, including the CDC and World Health Organization.

“There will be massive amounts of data and science circulating in the media supporting why we should all take a COVID-19 vaccine,” explains Greg Hahn, co-founder/Chief Creative Officer, Mischief @ No Fixed Address. “In conjunction with all that, we wanted to connect on an emotional level -- to remind us of all the small moments we are losing to the virus and how special they would feel to have back.”

The PSAs debut across the collective’s social channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. They will also air on TV nationally and are aided by a national OOH media donation from Quan Media Group amounting to around $1.4 million.

Separately, the Ad Council is teaming with an alphabet soup of partners to develop a national communications effort to increase confidence in vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. The coalition has raised $37 million of its stated $50 million goal, marking one of the largest public education efforts in history.

The creative, designed pro bono by  Pereira O’Dell, JOY Collective, Alma and BeenThereDoneThat, is designed to reach specific audiences, with an increased focus on multicultural communities.

Dentsu Health worked pro bono to develop consumer insights and the national media strategy, informing creative development and providing a placement framework for the forthcoming creative assets.

Another pillar for outreach seeks to strengthen partnerships with nonprofit, public health, civil rights, faith-based and community organizations to engage in what they call “trusted messenger engagement.”

The Ad Council is also working with Business Roundtable, the CDC Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation in partnership with Meteorite to provide the business community with research-backed messaging, resources and programming to reach their employees and customers.

The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative are sharing insights and resources to encourage others to develop their own “research-based vaccine education content.”

“As our country enters the next, crucial phase of this crisis, I know our industry will once again answer the Ad Council’s call, share in this responsibility, and offer their partnership and support,” states  Linda Yaccarino, board chair of the Ad Council and chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal.

Participating partners include Bank of America, Facebook, General Motors, the Humana Foundation, NBCUniversal/Comcast, Salesforce, Verizon, Walgreens and Walmart. Significant contributions have also been provided by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, Ford Motor Company, JPMorgan Chase, the New York Life Foundation, Stanley Black & Decker, Synchrony and Target.