Channel 9 slammed for “all white” Covid vaccine ad

Channel 9’s new ad promoting the Covid-19 vaccine has been slammed due to its lack of diversity. See the ad here.

Channel 9 has been criticised over a new Covid-19 vaccine advertisement that features all white talent.

The TV promo, which is designed to encourage people to get vaccinated, fell flat with viewers on Tuesday due to its lack of diversity.

Led by The Block’s Scott Cam, the advertisement titled “This is our shot” with the hashtag #GetVaccinated shows various on-air talent including Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon getting their Covid jabs and urging the public to do the same.

Other employees including Indigenous presenter Brooke Boney and Vietnamese-Australian Tracy Vo were not included in the ad.

Channel 9 slammed for “white washed” vaccine ad. Leila McKinnon is featured in the promo. Picture: Twitter

Channel 9 slammed for “white washed” vaccine ad. Peter Overton is featured in the promo. Picture: Twitter

Channel 10 presenter and Media Diversity Australia co-founder, Antoinette Lattouf, led criticism on Twitter.

“Yo @Channel9 you missed your shot at looking like you care about the health of anyone who isn’t white #getvaccinated #butonlyifyourewhite,” Lattouf tweeted.

ABC journalist Natasha Mitchell also weighed in.

“So white. Australia is 24 million times more diverse. Do better to represent. Tag line “This is Our Shot” catchy and effective. It could stick,” Mitchell wrote.

I applaud what @Channel9 is trying to do. How many people took part or approved it? Social media team, publicity team,on air talent, production etc. Many opportunities for someone to notice the glaring obvious. Welcome to blind spots folks. I trust it’s that & not white supremacy

— Antoinette Lattouf (@antoinette_news) May 31, 2021

Melbourne GP Dr Vyom Sharma added, “I actually like the ad, but Christ it’s white. Now this is not a government ad- so I hope gov will do more to engage broader community in commercials. Covid has affected CALD communities disproportionately and they’ve also been blamed for it! Would be good to engage positively.”

“Only one non Anglo/white person in this advert, a man administering a Covid vaccine. Do better, Channel 9,” another user wrote.

In response, Michael Healy, 9Network’s Director of Television said “As we are in the midst of a global pandemic, 9Network is continuing to support community awareness regarding COVID and to be informed about the vaccination, this is our shot for Australia to be connected again.

“It is an internal initiative and there will be a number of promos rolled out during this campaign”.

Today show reporter Brooke Boney, who is Indigenous, was not featured in Channel 9’s vaccine ad. Picture: Today/Channel 9

Newsreader Tracy Vo, who is Vietnamese-Australian, was also not featured in the ad.

Nicole Reaney, director of Inside Out PR, said the criticism is not surprising.

“Audiences in Australia now have an expectation that organisations will showcase diverse cultures in any form of advertising or communications,” Reaney said.

“In addition, profiling a mix encourages people from a variety of backgrounds to relate to ambassadors and take that step towards vaccination that this campaign is seeking.”