Rosica Champions Adult Vaccination Awareness for Merck
Merck, a global leader in vaccines, recognized the urgent need to increase awareness and uptake of adult immunizations, particularly pneumococcal vaccines. While childhood vaccination rates remained strong nationwide, adult vaccination lagged. To address this gap, Merck enlisted Rosica Communications to develop and execute a comprehensive communications program.
We created annual media campaigns, high-impact press events, multicultural outreach initiatives, and third-party partnerships that expanded the conversation around adult immunization. A cornerstone of the effort was a widely publicized “report card” that graded all 50 states on adult versus childhood vaccination rates, generating debate, awareness, and news coverage across the nation.
To further drive engagement, Rosica led educational briefings directed at younger adults, reinforcing the importance of staying vaccinated throughout their lifetimes. We also developed a corporate brochure highlighting the history of vaccines and Merck’s pioneering role in the field, which was distributed to healthcare professionals, consumer media, and industry trade outlets.
Our efforts produced measurable results. Media coverage expanded significantly across consumer, healthcare, and trade publications, while stronger alliances were forged with advocacy groups serving adult populations. Most importantly, vaccination rates improved: pneumococcal vaccination among older adults increased from 42% to 56%, reflecting a substantial rise in public awareness and acceptance of adult vaccines.
