“Too graphic”: Have the latest vaccination advertising campaigns gone too far?

Pressure is mounting on state and federal governments to get the Australian population vaccinated as quickly as possible, with the Delta strain outbreak in Sydney a stark reminder that COVID-19 remains a clear and present danger.

Daily case numbers have been the highest since April last year and, increasingly, young people are being hospitalised with the virus.

An advertisement released by the NSW government depicts a young woman with COVID-19 clearly terrified and struggling to breathe. The ad ends with her looking pleadingly to the camera with the message, “COVID-19 can affect anyone. Stay home. Get tested. Book your vaccination.” 

The ad, which is only being aired in Sydney, is clearly intended to shock an at-risk population into urgent action.

Here’s the Government ad which will run in Sydney tonight. #COVID19nsw #COVID19

⚠️ Some viewers may find the video confronting ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/wdVf9akprl

— Ricardo Gonçalves (@BUSINESSricardo) July 11, 2021

But the advertisement has been blasted for being too graphic and not an accurate representation of how someone with COVID-19 would be cared for in hospital.

As an ICU specialist please know that we’d never deliberately let you suffer like that. We’d try to get increased support before it got that bad.

— tom solano (@stuperbug) July 11, 2021

Others have commented the desire to elicit a strong fear response reminds them of the 1980s grim reaper campaign against AIDS.

An added controversy is the fact that the woman appears to be under the age of 40 and so would find it difficult to access the vaccine.

The recommended vaccine for her – Pfizer – would be largely unavailable. The government’s strategy of encouraging younger people to talk to their doctors about having the AstraZeneca vaccine has been heavily criticised.

The federal government’s “Arm Yourself” campaign takes a vastly different approach. Featuring soft pastel colours and images of arms with round Band-Aids where they have received a jab, this ad has been criticised as being too bland.

Samantha Maiden, Political Editor at news.com.au, told the ABC’s Insiders program, “It’s about as exciting as a bowl of Weet-bix left out on the counter by your kids when you told them to put it in the dishwasher.”

“The only thing it makes me want to do is go to the gym and do an upper body workout.”

Journalist Amy Remeikis said it’s disappointing the campaign is about self-interest and doesn’t appeal to people to think of others.

The worst thing about the ‘arm yourself’ vaccination campaign is that it just continues the militarisation of Australia’s pandemic response. It’s not about helping others, it’s about helping yourself. It’s not about what we all get back, but winning a war https://t.co/Q9a7A4szr0

— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) July 11, 2021

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said its creators needed to “go back to the drawing board”.

In another effort, an ad from Victoria’s Department of Health features a young mother with COVID-19 who has not seen her two young boys for six weeks. The ad ends on a sombre note, informing viewers the young mother had returned to hospital and wishing her good luck.

This is honest, authentic and true. pic.twitter.com/eAWcFu01ce

— Bill Bowtell AO (@billbowtell) July 11, 2021

“This is honest, authentic and true,” wrote Adjunct Professor at UNSW and Strategic Health Consultant Professor Bill Bowtell AO, of the ad.

Perhaps the creative minds behind the above mentioned ad campaigns could look to Heinekin for inspiration. It’s ad in the UK depicts older partygoers whooping it up and having a good time under the banner, “The night belongs to the vaccinated. Time to join them.”

Cheers to the vaccinated. Time to join them. #FreshBeginnings pic.twitter.com/uKeYOWKuEH

— Heineken (@Heineken) July 8, 2021

Under the hashtag #FreshBeginnings, the attractive funky older people are partying at a seaside nightclub. The revellers wear great clothes, they’re dancing and flirting, and even swimming half naked!

What do you think? Is fear the right approach when governments are trying to encourage people to get vaccinated? Or is it better to show the positives of life once you’ve had the jab?