Even the kangaroos are talking about it...
Singapore's 'cringey' vaccine ad campaign might hold lessons for Australia
New Zealand has released a "Ka kite, COVID" ad to promote vaccinations
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"You know what this is? It's the metaphorical door to freedom," says a smiling healthcare worker in New Zealand's public health campaign promoting take-up of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Key points:
- Official campaigns in Singapore and New Zealand have received praise for being both funny and informative
- Mass immunisation centres across Australia reported relatively low turnout as vaccines open up to over 50s
- Experts say messaging in Australia needs to address community concerns over AstraZeneca jabs and blood clots
Punchy, funny and barely a minute long, the governments of New Zealand and Singapore this week rolled out new video ad campaigns encouraging citizens to get the jab.
The Singapore ad features Phua Chu Kang, the main character of a popular 1990s sitcom, and includes a number of his catchphrases.
People online responded largely positively to the campaign, despite many describing it as "cringey".
"Now I know why Singapore has such high trust in its government: wholesome and informative music videos," wrote one Twitter user.
The ad is laden with Singlish — Singapore's distinctive creole of English, Chinese dialects, Malay and Tamil — thus appealing directly to local audiences.
The Singapore government's ad campaign promoting COVID vaccinations
"Better get your shot, steady pom pi pi," the jingle says, using Singapore slang for somebody who remains calm and collected in a difficult situation.
New Zealand's ad similarly incorporates local vernacular, declaring "Ka kite, COVID", meaning "see you, COVID" in the Maori language.
"Congrats to the team on making it uniquely Kiwi," one Twitter user wrote.
Singapore brought beloved comedy character Phua Chu Kang back to life to encourage vaccination.( Supplied: Singapore government )
'Vaccination is for the community not just the individual'
Both advertisements were strong examples of communication, said Kirsten McCaffery, director of the Sydney Health Literacy Lab at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health.
They cleverly use humour, use everyday language, are easy to follow, and frame vaccination as "the pathway to freedom", Professor McCaffery told the ABC.
Kirsten McCaffery hopes there is more messaging around vaccination from the Australian government soon.( Supplied )
"Importantly they address important barriers in creative ways and pay attention to some issues we know are important from the research evidence," she said.
The New Zealand video clearly targets different age groups and ethnic groups very positively, Professor McCaffery said, adding that both promote the message that "vaccination is for the community not just the individual".
More than 2 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in Singapore, while at least 232,588 doses have been administered in New Zealand.
Australia has administered more than 2 million doses, but it has about five times the population of each of Singapore and New Zealand.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt in January announced a $24 million advertising campaign would be rolled out in Australia across TV, radio, print, social and digital media.
The video produced for the campaign is much more sober than its Singaporean and Kiwi counterparts, however, and features senior government advisors on COVID-19, infectious diseases physician Nick Coatsworth and Australia's Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alison McMillan.
Australia's COVID-19 vaccine ad campaign, released in January
"The campaign will keep Australians fully informed and up to date about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines as they become available, including when, how and where to get the jab," Mr Hunt said in January.
"It is very unclear to date what the $24 million spent on the vaccination communication campaign by the government has produced," Professor McCaffery said.
Epidemiologist Catherine Bennett
told the ABC there may be some hesitancy to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, given reports of blood clots in a small number of people.
Professor McCaffery said in Australia, public awareness campaigns needed to directly address community concerns about AstraZeneca shots and blood clots.
"We need more of this kind of creative communication which takes into account understanding of community concerns and perspectives and presents it in an entertaining and engaging format," she said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the ABC that the government's communication campaign was being "continually being updated to respond to the specific stages of the rollout of the Australian vaccination program".
"The latest advertisements have started this week to align with the expansion of the program, informing people aged 50 years and over that they can now receive the vaccine. This is important factual information, so people know who is eligible and where to get the vaccine.
"The queues for vaccines at the Melbourne mass vaccination clinics demonstrate the campaign is supporting vaccine information needs, including when and where to be vaccinated," they said.
