Australia’s latest dose of vax ads

The brands and agencies asking Aussies to roll up their sleeves

If you’ve been watching a lot of free-to-air TV lately you’ll have noticed two things. Vaccination ads. And promos for the Masked Singer. Both highly creative and capable of making you cry - but for the purpose of this article we’re going to discuss the former.

Here are a few brands and agencies taking on the challenge:

The Nostalgia Card

VB and AAMI are two brands leaning on the past to appeal to Aussies. The return of Rhonda and Ketut caused excitement online while VB reprised their classic anthem to rally the nation. Psychologically speaking, this is clever play. Last year The New York Times wrote an article titled ‘Why We Reach for Nostalgia in Times of Crisis’ where it outlined our collective desire for characters that bring us comfort.

“Right now, we may not necessarily feel safe, but we can take our minds to a safe place, which will create a chain reaction in our body.”

Our very own team at BWMIsobar have backed the vax message, re-writing and recording Australia’s iconic Meadow Lea jingle. Initially released for radio, The ‘You Oughta be Vaccinated’ campaign received such a positive response last month that it’s now been made for TV.

The Name Change

Both NAB and TAB did the old switcheroo to become JAB - proving that banks and betting agencies have more in common than just siphoning our money! The campaign has stretched across social, TV and OOH in an effort to help Australia re-open.

Will we hear from 1-3-J-A-B-S??

The Feels

The Monkeys have created a powerful PSA calling out the country's ingenuity, inventiveness and resilience. Appealing to our tough Aussie spirit, the spot is being released nationally in a bid to boost the double vaccination rate as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile over in WA, the Government is attempting to tackle the state’s sense of apathy. Set to Louis Armstrong’s ‘Wonderful World’, the campaign reminds young people of how good a Covid-free life will be.

Hannah Payton

References:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/smarter-living/coronavirus-nostalgia.html