Selling freedom, not fear, the key to getting Aussies vaccinated

Some of advertising’s biggest names reveal the Covid vaccination ad campaigns that work won’t be about instilling fear in us.

Promising freedom not fear is the key to getting Australians to have the Covid jab, the man behind New Zealand’s most successful advertising campaign says.

With the Federal Government’s scary and lacklustre ads embroiled in controversy and even Deputy Prime Minster Barnaby Joyce declaring he’s “not a fan”, we went to advertising gurus and asked how they could do better.

The Government’s brutal new ad showing a woman ill from Covid-19 gasping for breath was “wrong because there is no reward for having a vac,” Alan Morden, who was behind the award-winning 100 per cent Pure ads to sell New Zealand as a destination, said.

“The reward should be we can be free again if we all come together and have the vac”.

The man behind New Zealand’s most successful advertising campaign, Alan Morden. He said the federal government’s ad showing a woman ill from Covid-19 was “wrong”. Picture: Supplied

Together with Denise Morden and Lorraine Ward he sketched out an ad that would show empty stadiums, vacant cricket pitches, closed venues and empty plates.

In the background as American rapper Pitbull’s song Freedom plays, the vision shifts to stadiums with cheering crowds, people playing cricket, people dancing and flying.

“Get the vac and be free to cheer, free to play, free to fly,” the script reads.

Advertising guru Russel Howcroft conceded fear does work but cautioned it needs to be accompanied by “positive and inspiring story telling”.

“An NYC friend of mine suggested that perhaps fake morgues should be set up at the end of every street – as this is what she experienced, for real. This idea certainly focused my mind,” Mr Howcroft said yesterday.

A sketch showing Mr Morden’s vision for a Covid-19 ad. Picture: Supplied

“Get the vac and be free to cheer, free to play, free to fly,” the script reads.

Alan Morden’s message would have been to sell freedom - not fear. Picture: Supplied

Advertising guru Russel Howcroft conceded fear does work but cautioned it needs to be accompanied by “positive and inspiring story telling”. Picture: David Caird

His son Charlie and Freddie Young – who co-founded Good One Creative – offered a series of positive advertisements that argue we need to get vaccinated to bring an end to the interruptions Covid is causing in our lives.

As viewers watch a concert by Australian band Powderfinger but before they get to sing the chorus to their song the band is continually interrupted by officials who first demand they put on masks, then check in using a QR code and eventually the concert is cancelled because of a Covid outbreak in the area.

Other versions of the ads feature a person drinking coffee in a café constantly interrupted by rules about masks and QR codes and press conferences where politicians are announcing lockdowns.

An Uninterrupted Life V2-2 Good One Creative. Picture: Supplied

“Live an uninterrupted life. Let’s vaccinate our nation. #VAXOURNATION,” the message reads.

Former advertising copywriter now advertising academic Jane Caro said she would get the advertising agency The Monkeys which does the Australia Day lamb roast ad every year to do the job.

“They’re very good at humour, fun, not taking themselves too seriously, encouraging people to do something without it being too literal or too worthy or too, earnest, good old fashioned Aussie humour,” Ms Caro said.

The best Covid advertising she’d seen was the UK ad featuring Elton John and Michael Caine because “what they did was they made it fun, you know, was sort of humorous and self deprecating”.

Former advertising copywriter now author Jane Caro. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

A major squabble broke out within the government over the taxpayer funded Covid ad campaign yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told Sunrise “to be quite frank I’m not a great fan”.

“I believe that, you know, you got to give people information, not scare them witless,” he said.

However, Health Minister Greg Hunt said the ad was “a deliberate, strong message which says that, given the, the outbreak in Sydney, anybody can catch it; anybody can pass it on; and, anybody can suffer agonising consequences”.

Opposition Education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said one of the problems with the advertising campaign was to encourage people to go and get vaccinated, “you’ve actually got to have enough of the vaccine available and we simply haven’t”.

Originally published as Selling freedom, not fear, the key to getting Aussies vaccinated