BackBrands promote vaccination drive through digital campaigns
With vaccination opening up for 18 to 44 years age bracket from 1 May, a clutch of brands across categories, that target a relatively younger consumer base, are promoting covid vaccination drive using digital and social media platforms using hashtags like #TakeYourShot, #VaccinationPledge and #VaccinationDrive
PremiumLooking for a way back into the pre-pandemic world? Take a U turn at the myth intersection and head into vaccination lane. #TakeYourShot, reads a post from OkCupid on Twitter.
The tweet is a part of online dating platform's social media campaign that is aimed at motivating people to take the covid vaccination. The light tone and quirky humour of the campaign is a much-needed break from the grim updates that dominate social media platforms as India battles a devastating second wave of coronavirus.
With vaccination opening up for 18 to 44 years age bracket from 1 May, a clutch of brands across categories, that target a relatively younger consumer base, are promoting covid vaccination drive using digital and social media platforms using hashtags like #TakeYourShot, #VaccinationPledge and #VaccinationDrive. Among them are fashion brands, food delivery brands and feminine hygiene brand.
Anukool Kumar, marketing director OkCupid India said that they are leveraging OkCupid’s platforms to spread awareness and share verified information about accessing the vaccine to millennial Indians.
"Through consistent conversations across our social media platforms, we're making a constant effort to direct help, encourage volunteers to ensure a smooth vaccine rollout, bust myths, and make sure that everybody who engages with us is part of this national movement to stay safe and keep everyone else safe. Be it taking a #VaccinationPledge to get themselves and at least one other person to get their vaccination appointments, we are urging our audiences to #TakeYourShot, so that together, we can get through this," he added.
Bestseller India, which retails brands such as Vero Moda, Only and Jack & Jones in the country is also putting out reminders across its social media platforms urging people to take the jab using hashtags like #GetTheShot, #Vaccination.
"As brands, our responsibility from here on is to ensure that our communication is relevant and time sensitive with all efforts being directed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our customers. Our brand platforms have a far-reaching impact and we will continue to put it to good use to educate and amplify necessary information," said Vineet Gautam, CEO & country head, Bestseller, South Asia.
Food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato are also pitching in by creating awareness around getting vaccinated by registering on Co-Win portal. Maker of female hygiene products, Sirona Hygiene is seen sharing posts busting myths on vaccination such as "Periods can stop you only if they are at the end of a sentence. Not from getting vaccinated."
Karthik Srinivasan, a communications strategy consultant, notes that the quirky/funny tone makes sense because these posts are being shared on social media channels, read by the section of these brands' users who are fairly privileged from the vaccine point of view.
"More than vaccine hesitancy, the target audience's worry is more around when they'd get the appointment on the app and how can they plan the outing accordingly. In that sense, these brands may be preaching to the choir. But vaccine is the topic of the week/month/year and any and every push towards it does help us all, though supply hasn't caught up with the demand," he added.
Naresh Gupta, co- founder and chief strategy officer, Bang In The Middle believes that more brands need to join the vaccination drive creating an urgency around it.
"Brands have immense power today thanks to social media. The brands though need to go beyond clever memes or posts, they need to turn this into a movement that will make more and more Indian opt for the jab. This needs a large intervention, much like the rotovirus campaigns done with expecting moms or the AIDS campaigns that became a part of daily conversation. I'm sure there are more coming," he added.
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