TerryWhite Chemmart (TWC) have demonstrated leadership in vaccinations with awards and results.
This week the network passed 400,000 Covid vaccinations and last week was acknowledged with the highest Gold Award at the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Golden Target Awards.
The Award is in recognition of TWC’s comprehensive media relations campaign, which encouraged Australians to not forget about their flu vaccination.
TWC Executive General Manager Nick Munroe says he is thrilled with the network’s progress in helping protect Australians from Covid-19 but is particularly pleased with the recent PRIA recognition considering the challenges the industry faced this year in driving Australians into pharmacy to receive their flu vaccination.
“I don’t think our pharmacy network is alone in acknowledging the tough environment we found ourselves in this year trying to encourage Australians to get their flu vaccination,” says Mr Munroe.
“Compared with the record-breaking flu 2020 season, which was driven by a high degree of urgency, 2021 told a completely different story.”
Mr Munroe explains that with Covid-19 “saturating the media agenda” in 2021, the urgency to receive the flu vaccination waned “leading to a high level of complacency towards flu vaccinations”.
In response, TWC worked with agency partner Phillips Group in developing an innovative media strategy to encourage more Australians to get vaccinated against influenza as well as understand the different health advice around Covid-19 and influenza vaccines.
“The strategy involved a three-phased media campaign, backed by research and credible independent health commentary from notable infectious diseases expert Professor Robert Booy, to position TWC pharmacists as health leaders, provide the nation with clear messaging and encourage more Australians to get their flu vaccination through community pharmacy,” explains Mr Munroe.
“Through careful planning and sheer determination, our campaign reached more than 4.5 million Australians generating more than 264 media items becoming one of our most successful campaigns to date.
“This combined with the impressive efforts of our immunising pharmacists meant more than 25% of all pharmacist-administered flu vaccinations in 2021 were delivered through the TWC network.”
What’s ahead for 2022?
TWC says it is already well into their planning stages for the 2022 Flu Campaign, which will likely require a completely new approach as community pharmacy ramps up its Covid-19 booster service in February and March, and look to potentially be offering the Pfizer vaccine to children aged 5-11 years.
“2022 is certainly going to be an interesting year for vaccinations but our pharmacists are highly trained and well experienced in delivering vaccinations, and as always, are ready to take it on,” says Mr Munroe.
