A Holiday Plea from PSA Campaign Creator: Get Vaxxed for the Sake of Family

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA, November 17, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The holiday season is almost here. And with COVID rates leveling off in many places (though not everywhere), some extended families have decided to get together for the first time in two years. Frank Kilpatrick, one of the creators of public service announcement (PSA) campaign Shoulda Got the Shot, is hoping the prospect of that togetherness will prompt the still-unvaccinated to reconsider their stance.

“Even if most of the family is vaccinated, there may be elderly people who are vulnerable despite their shot status,” says Kilpatrick, the campaign’s executive producer, a songwriter, and the director of non-profit organization Ribbons for Research. “There may be kids who are too young to be vaxxed. And, of course, the unvaccinated themselves are at risk.

“This is the time of year when we naturally focus on family,” he adds. “It’s my hope that concern for family members will nudge the still-hesitant to get the jab.”

Kilpatrick is hoping his PSA campaign can help in this effort. It’s been a huge success so far: More than 2,900 television airings have occurred since October, resulting in potential cumulative exposure to 20+ million viewers. He expects these airings to continue in heavy rotation throughout the month of November.

The Shoulda Got the Shot campaign features portrayals and testimonials from real people who have been seriously ill or lost a loved one due to COVID-19. Because data-driven PSAs weren’t working to “move the needle,” Kilpatrick and his collaborators—director Eric Mittleman, producer Linda Kilpatrick, and associate producer Rayko Takahashi—came up with this heartfelt, emotional, non-preachy, politically neutral approach.

With the holiday season gearing up, Kilpatrick urges media outlets across the U.S. to continue placing these PSAs into rotation in their local markets.

The following TV spots are available to download and use:

30-second “Ripped from the Headlines” Shoulda Got the Shot: https://vimeo.com/592352092/ca9df9a15f
60-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot: https://vimeo.com/592352211/695dc61f29
30-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot: https://vimeo.com/592352114/b168c4eb81
SPANISH 30-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot: https://vimeo.com/592352170/fb4eae5e3f

The following radio spots are also available. You may visit https://www.ribbonsforresearch.org/radio to audition the spots. And from there, you may immediately download any of them you would like to use.

30-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot
SPANISH 30-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot
60-second “Real People” Shoulda Got the Shot
30-second “Ripped from the Headlines” Shoulda Got the Shot

As Ribbons for Research created the above PSAs to target general adult audiences, the group also came to recognize another cohort of significant under-vaccination: that of the Gen Z (ages 18-24) and Millennial (ages 25-40) populations. They developed a focused communications initiative to reach these younger audiences with the theme “COVID-19 Is Not a Hoax.” The entertaining yet serious campaign features a song and corresponding music video.

View and download the music single titled “COVID-19 Is Hell” for your station by visiting https://www.ribbonsforresearch.org/video.

To understand more about why Kilpatrick and team have decided to devote so much time and so many resources to creating this PSA project, here is a quick mini-interview with him:

Q: Who does the Shoulda Got the Shot campaign target?
A: We’re aiming this campaign at various underserved populations: politically polarized, lower income, minority, and rural audiences. We have a similar social media strategy aimed at the younger “party hearty” populations that feel invincible.

Q: Why is it so urgent?
A: Even now, the U.S. vaccination rate isn’t where it should be. The more holdouts we can convince to get the shot, the more lives we’ll save.

Q: What makes this campaign different?
A: Our Shoulda Got the Shot PSA campaign doesn’t lecture its audience. It isn’t a blatant endorsement by politicians and scientists. It doesn’t tell people what to think. Our approach is based on the most proven type of human persuasion: human connection. These testimonials are raw and emotional and real. People will be more likely to trust these spokespeople in a way that they’d never trust a politician or scientist. These are people who look like them.

I mean, you can feel Martha’s anguish when her voice breaks as she talks about how her daddy died from a hole in his lung caused by COVID-19. When she goes on to encourage others to get vaccinated, it’s clear that it comes from a genuine desire to prevent suffering. These spots are incredibly compelling.

Q: So…why you? What drove you to launch this campaign?
A: First, this is a cause I deeply care about. I feel much the same way about it that I felt about the Stay Alive suicide prevention documentary film I produced 18 months ago. But also, thanks to my work in the healthcare communications field, I have many years of experience in producing these kinds of permission-based approaches that feature an appeal to community agreement. I know from experience this is a powerful strategy.

Q: How can others help?
A: Please…if you work with a TV, cable, or radio station, or have influence with any other media outlet, air these PSAs and/or the “COVID-19 Is Hell” single and video. Share this lifesaving content with your community. Call (424) 262-5570 to get copies of the spots delivered to you, or visit www.ribbonsforresearchvideo.org and www.ribbonsforresearch.org for a preview and for more information.

“This is the perfect time for media outlets to join together for a big push,” says Kilpatrick. “Let’s help people see that getting vaccinated is the right thing to do for their family.”

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Frank Kilpatrick is a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur experienced in creating successful new communications businesses. He was the founder of Healthcare Communications Group.

Balancing his business endeavors with hands-on philanthropy, Frank’s social contributions have included producing the Gratitude Meditation Podcast (GratitudeVideo.com). As a songwriter, he often collaborates with Grammy Award-winning producer Alex Wand and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Rayko (FrankiKMusic.com).

Frank attended the University of California-Berkeley.

Dottie DeHart
DeHart & Company Public Relations
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