Unilever Aiding Vaccination Efforts

Unilever U.S. has joined forces with pharmacy retailers such as CVS and Walgreens to encourage shoppers to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines via in-store digital touchpoints. The CPG powerhouse’s vaccine education campaign runs through June 15.

The signage, which features Unilever personal care brands Vaseline, TRESemmé, Dove, St. Ives and Degree, directs consumers to a dedicated website that offers answers to questions about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. 

Additionally, on Friday, May 14, select vaccination sites throughout the country will experience even more joy, thanks to the delivery of such frozen treats as Klondike and Popsicle to newly vaccinated people, vaccine site workers and volunteers, courtesy of Unilever. Those receiving shots or working at certain sites in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Memphis, Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix on that day will receive the novelties as they leave the locations, while supplies last.

“There is still work to be done for pandemic recovery and addressing vaccine hesitancy is one piece of that,” noted Russel Lilly, VP, U.S. ice cream at Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey-based Unilever. “Getting vaccinated is a personal milestone for many that calls for a sweet celebration, and we couldn’t think of a better way to do that than with ice cream.”

The vaccine activities are only part of Unilever’s second annual Day of Service, a national volunteering effort that debuted last year to give back to communities most affected by COVID-19. Unilever U.S. will also donate more than $25 million in goods and services toward pandemic relief, bringing its total donation to $50 million-plus by the close of this year.

“Our annual Day of Service is an opportunity for Unilever U.S. to use its size and scale as a catalyst to do good,” noted Fabian Garcia, president of Unilever North America. “And while the country is in a much different place than it was one year ago, we cannot lose sight that people are still feeling the impacts of this pandemic.” 

To that end, this year, Unilever will continue to work with organizations that address these issues by providing millions of everyday products from brands like Dove, Knorr and Suave to front-line partners like Feeding America; using its platforms to promote vaccine education, as noted above, in partnership with the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative’s It’s Up to You campaign; and supporting organizations that directly reach women-founded businesses and youth, including Luminary and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Also on May 14, Unilever and its employees will join forces with more than 170 corporate partners to volunteer with national partners and local organizations. Unilever’s U.S. factories will also donate products from their lines to local organizations within their communities.

Unilever is encouraging everyone to join its efforts by going online to see how they can give or get help.

Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA division of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. The drug store chain operates more than 9,000 retail locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving about 8 million customers daily. Walgreens is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. With its CVS Pharmacy subsidiary operating almost 10,000 locations nationwide, Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based CVS Health is No. 6 on PG’s list.