GSK's new campaign asks parents to support their children's future with 7 crucial vaccinations

Mumbai: GSK today announced the launch of its new multichannel campaign 'Ab India Banega 7-Star.' The campaign shows parents that the future of India is in their hands. It encourages them to secure their children’s future with 7 essential vaccinations* against 14 diseases**, which include chickenpox, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, measles, mumps, rubella, pneumonia, influenza, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, HiB infection, and polio.

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) recommends 7 vaccinations for children aged 1 to 2 years: two doses of chickenpox and hepatitis A, second dose of meningitis^# and MMR, booster doses of PCV and DTP Hib IPV and annual dose of flu¹ . Although, immunisation coverage in the first year is high in India, drop-out rates after 1st birthday increase. Hence, a significant number of children in the country remain partially vaccinated².

Dr. Shalini Menon, Medical Director, GSK, said, "After a child’s first birthday, it is critical to build robust immunity against serious vaccine-preventable diseases. The immunity granted by the vaccination can extend to the community thereby preventing the spread of disease and could help address threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance by reducing the need for antibiotics. The 7 essential vaccinations given at this age protect them from 14 dangerous diseases and help them grow into healthy adults. Through this campaign, we want to communicate to parents the critical need to give their children the recommended vaccinations between the ages of 1 and 2 years."

The central creative focus of the campaign films is on the critical need for the 7 vaccinations. The two campaign films show professionals in different fields, such as a cricketer and a space-station mission director, pausing their important jobs to check if a child has received the 7 essential vaccinations. Current 'stars' of India giving a powerful message to parents of future 'stars' of India, is captured in the films. The films effectively convey the message that securing a child’s future is more important than any other job and that this future rests on the 7-star protection offered by the 7 vaccinations.

The campaign will run across multiple media platforms such as TV, digital, social media, radio, CTV (connected TV), and OTT. Parents should consult their paediatricians to know more about the vaccination schedule for their children and utilise verified sources of information such as MyVaccinationHub.in