Enough Shots, Not Enough Arms
The COVID-19 Vaccine Has a Marketing Problem
After rapid initial uptake, interest in the COVID-19 vaccine seems to have plateaued and vaccination rates are beginning to decline. You might ask why individuals at risk of a dangerous, potentially deadly infectious disease would not get vaccinated even though the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are urging us to. The answer to that question is extremely complicated, which is why vaccine hesitancy remains such a vexing problem. In the case of COVID-19 specifically, hesitation crosses several lines, including ethnicity, politics, age, and other factors. So, what’s the solution? Start thinking like marketers.
Here are a few tried-and-true strategies that are gaining traction in small pockets already:
Education
There’s an abundance of reliable information out there. At the same time, there’s a large volume of misinformation. What — and who — can be believed? The Biden administration is turning to a beloved fast food chain to help them get the accurate word out this summer.
“We Can Do This” Campaign:
McDonald’s launched a multibillion-dollarwell-funded, high-profile public education campaign comprised of ads on television, radio, online, and social media platforms. USA VP of Global Public Policy and Government Relations, Genna Gent, said, “We all want to protect ourselves and our loved ones and be together with our communities again. McDonald’s is excited to be doing our part for the people we serve, providing them with simple information that can help keep them safe.”
Peer Influencers
In our work with clients in the insurance and reverse mortgage industries, we’ve learned firsthand about the power of peer persuasion. In literally hundreds of focus groups designed to unravel barriers to acceptance, we observed how inaccurate, word-of-mouth peer advice was believed over accurate expert advice. Often, the marketing solution was to leverage peers who could then educate other peers. While not a new concept by any means, it is helping turn the tide toward greater vaccine acceptance.
Greater Than COVID
A new campaign by Black healthcare workers for Black people about the COVID-19 vaccine kicks off with an open and honest conversation that gets to the heart of Black people’s questions about various vaccines. This new campaign launches with 50 FAQs designed to dispel misinformation and provide accessible facts about the vaccine from Black healthcare workers. YouTube is providing significant support for the campaign, including high visibility promotion across its platform.
Incentives
Marketers are applying the age-old strategy of “incentives” to make an impact. With mask and social distancing mandates still in place up until May 13, there was a perceived lack of tangible benefits for getting the vaccine. But there’s a reason incentives are a $90 billion industry: they produce results.
“Shot and Chaser”
A free beer program at Buffalo’s Resurgence Brewing gives you a free beer once you receive your shot. “That’s the whole deal,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “We decided it just made sense to go where the people are. We got 10 times more people to get vaccinated with their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in just a few hours at a brewery than we would have if we had been sitting in one of our full-time clinics for 12 hours.”
Gift Cards for Detroit Hospitality Workers
“Up to 400 Detroit-area restaurant, hospitality, and retail workers can get a free $25 Visa gift card when they get a COVID-19 vaccine Friday in Detroit in an event that kicks off a new statewide vaccination campaign. The event is the first in a series of vaccination clinics being hosted in communities throughout the state with high foot traffic and a concentration of restaurants, bars, and hotels,” according to a press release from the Protect Michigan Commission.
Until vaccinations reach targeted levels, or the pandemic fully abates, it’s safe to say that these campaigns are just the tip of what will be a growing marketing iceberg. Given the stakes, we all should wish them success.
