‘DREAD’ AIR: A new PSA features the story of Joseph Marotta, who died of the flu at age 5, as told by his grieving mom, Serese (above). (
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State health officials are terrifying parents into getting their kids vaccinated.
The blunt message, delivered by the state Health Department, is that children could die if they don’t get the flu shot or other recommended vaccines.
The edgy new campaign follows a similar script to hard-hitting anti-tobacco ads depicting cancer-ravaged smokers meant to shock people into kicking the habit.
The 30-second vaccination ads feature grief-stricken Serese Marotta, a Syracuse mom whose 5-year-old son, Joseph, died from the flu in 2009.
Marotta is shown sitting on the bed in her son’s room filled with stuffed animals and toys. Soft, funereal-type piano music is heard in the background.
“We decided even though Joseph has been gone for 18 months, we’ve made the decision to keep all his things the way they were when he was here last,” Marotta intones.
“I finally just packed his toothbrush away six months ago. It has been sitting on the counter in the bathroom and I was cleaning the bathroom one day, and I just thought, ‘It’s time to put the toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.’ ”
Black-and-white messages — funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control — then appear on the screen.
“Every year, unvaccinated children die from preventable diseases. Get your kids all their recommended vaccines and flu shots.”
The last few seconds of the ad pan back to a melancholy Marotta.
The ads appear on network TV and cable during primetime and daytime, especially movie programs popular with young mothers.
Some vaccine skeptics say the ads are merely scare tactics meant to bully parents into getting their kids shots.
“It’s questionable for the government to use this type of ad without providing all the information,” said Barbara Fisher of the National Vaccination Information Center.
New York health officials defend the vaccination campaign.
“Though it is a difficult message, the focus groups revealed a need to make parents aware that children who are not vaccinated can have serious illness, and some may die,” Health Department spokeswoman Diane Mathis said.