Ad Council Announces Plans For $50 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Public Education Effort

The nonprofit Ad Council has announced plans for a $50 million educational campaign aimed at encouraging vaccination against COVID-19.

The effort will be funded by private-sector contributors and has been created to overcome reluctance by two-thirds of the public to get vaccinated. According to a recent survey, although 86 percent of Americans believe that a vaccine will be effective in curbing the virus, only 34 percent say they will definitely get vaccinated, the Ad Council reports. Trust in the vaccine is particularly low in Black and Latinx communities, the Ad Council says, with another survey showing that only 14 percent of Black Americans and 34 percent of Latinx Americans trust that a vaccine will be safe.

Messaging is expected to identify and address misconceptions and concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness, and will be tailored to “multiple diverse audiences,” the organization says. The importance of wearing face masks as vaccines are rolled out also will be reinforced.

“Widespread adoption of the COVID-19 vaccine is our generation’s ‘moonshot’ and will represent one of the largest public health interventions in our nation’s history,” says Lisa Sherman, Ad Council president and CEO.

In December, the messaging was “in development” and was expected to be released “early in 2021,” according to the Ad Council.

Note: SHCM will follow up with a detailed review of the campaign later in Q1 2021 when campaign assets are expected to be available.