The newly FDA-authorized updated vaccines for COVID-19 offer protection not only against serious illness but also, according to Moderna, against the loneliness that can come with a loved one’s infection with the virus.
The company unveiled a new campaign Thursday that targets viewers’ empathy and sense of community to encourage them to get the updated vaccine. Dubbed “Do It For You & Them,” the new vax push will reach individuals through both traditional and streaming TV ads and via social media platforms. Moderna said it’s also teaming up with “key retailers” to get the message out through their advertising networks, too.
A 30-second campaign video starts with a montage of lonely scenes—a man riding solo on a tandem bicycle, a woman sitting alone at a restaurant and a dog looking wistfully out a window—as a voiceover says, “If you get sick with COVID-19, someone will feel all alone. Get an updated vaccine this season so you don’t let down the ones who matter most.”
The voiceover continues, noting that “more people were hospitalized from COVID than the flu” last fall and that “COVID is always changing,” and encouraging viewers to “protect yourself this season with an updated vaccine.”
All three scenes eventually turn more positive, with a partner now riding the tandem bike, a loved one showing up at the restaurant and the dog’s owner returning home, as the narrator concludes, “Do it for you and them.”
Additional imagery on the campaign’s website shows another woman sitting alone at a restaurant, with the caption, “If you get sick with COVID, your wife would miss stealing all your fries.” The site includes facts and figures about the vaccine’s protection, information about COVID and a locator tool to find nearby pharmacies with the updated shots available.
“Our campaign is all about connecting with people on a personal level, reminding them of the importance of staying healthy not just for themselves, but for the people who depend on them,” Kate Cronin, Moderna’s chief brand officer, said in the launch announcement.
“This campaign is centered on how many people truly depend on us to be reliable and present, whether for day-to-day needs or something more meaningful like having a parent or grandparent attend a school performance,” she continued. “By focusing on the emotional impact of vaccination, we hope to inspire individuals to take action and be there for their loved ones by staying up to date on their vaccines.”
The FDA signed off on the updated vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech last week. Both versions of the shot were crafted to defend against the Omicron KP.2 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was until recently the most dominant strain of the virus in the U.S. The shots’ makers have said that similarities between KP.2 and the new leader, KP.3.1.1, ensure the updated vaccines will still offer protection against serious infections.
The new vaccines are already being rolled out to pharmacies across the country, ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season, during which COVID, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and flu rates are all expected to rise. As Moderna noted in its release, COVID infections are several times more likely to lead to hospitalization than flu or RSV among senior citizens. The company also cited data showing that more than 95% of adults hospitalized due to COVID during the last virus season had no record of having received the latest shot.
The latest vaccine push comes just a few months after Moderna kicked off another campaign encouraging uptake of its COVID shots. That initiative launched on March 15’s Long COVID Awareness Day, with a focus on preventing acute COVID infections as part of an effort to reduce long-term symptoms.
“COVID-19 remains a significant health risk and is a leading cause of respiratory illness-related hospitalization, regardless of age or health condition,” Francesca Ceddia, chief medical affairs officer of Moderna, said in Thursday’s announcement. “Vaccination remains a critical tool in preventing COVID-19, mitigating the impact of Long COVID and protecting the health of our communities."