Vaccine availability and eligibility have ramped up across Asia. For the people who are hesitant or less likely to get vaccinated, however, governments and brands are using digital advertising or promotions to spread awareness of their vaccine offerings.

With gold bars and a diamond Rolex already up for consideration, residents of Hong Kong may now stand a chance to win an apartment in the world's most expensive property market simply by being vaccinated. Governments and private businesses are experimenting with a variety of strategies to encourage people to get immunised. Another vaccine lottery has opened registration in Hong Kong, featuring a Tesla car worth HKD 600,000 and shopping vouchers valued HKD 10,000-HKD 20,000 with retail chains such as Lane Crawford, Suning and Zara.

Meanwhile, In Beijing, the vaccinated qualify for buy-one-get-one-free ice cream cones. The promotion was worked at one vaccination center, where people lined up for two-for-one soft serve at a bright yellow McDonald’s ice cream truck parked outside. Also, the Wangfujing shopping district in Beijing was teeming with bargains for the vaccinated. A Lego store offered a free kit to assemble a chick emerging from an egg. A street stall touted a 10% discount on tea. A state-run photo studio even advertised a discount on wedding photos. Some Weibo users in Beijing have circulated a poster, which says residents over the age of 60 who are vaccinated can get two cartons of fresh eggs for free. 

For brands, they can leverage these opportunities and work with the government to actively promote the drive on social media and increase confidence in masses. This kind of marketing makes the best of the moment. There’s a craving for it and there’s a shortage. In a way, vaccine campaigns also hint at subliminal promotion to show what the brand offers.

Catchy and creative ads can go a long way in clearing out vaccine hesitancy. Ever since the vaccination drive kicked off, brands jumped on the bandwagon and have been trying to represent trendy, fashionable voices by sending out the message that ‘vaccine is in’ because the younger generation follows the trends. These messages can help overcome the resistance.

Comms8 helps brands launch digital marketing by capitalizing on consumer intent and engagement, deploying data-driven campaigns to connect brands with consumers at the moments they’re most ready to take action. Contact us now to get started! 

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