License: Creative Commons BY

A Guide to mRNA Wellness Therapy

Objective:

Playfully encourage those who are mildly vaccine hesitant (not anti-vaccine) because of fear, concerns about it not being “natural” or are just more familiar or more comfortable with wellness language. Also to model a more lighthearted way of engaging for those who are on the same side.

The Project:

A series of 10 images that talk about vaccines using the jargon and aesthetic of “wellness.”

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

Make it specific to another community.

What worked?

What I think is funny is rarely what large populations think is funny, but apparently this resonated with a lot of people. It’s by far the most popular thing I’ve ever posted on instagram, by a factor of 7 in the first 48 hours. It was re-posted on some other accounts and in total over 11,000 people liked it, which means many more saw it.

Other Notes:

I have a history of irritation with scams, pseudoscience, the idea that things are “natural” or “unnatural”, etc. I’d also recently listened to an episode of Maintenance Phase about the “Wellness to QAnon Pipeline” that was still rattling around in my head.

Friends like Merith Basey, Stephen Duncombe, Jean Raillia, Dread Scott, and others saw early drafts and gave me some helpful feedback, which is how it got less mean.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from Steve Lambert

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

It was an idea I had late one night, made a note, and then couldn’t get it out of my head. It started with “wouldn’t it be funny if…” and I made an initial image as a proof of concept. Then I shared that image with a few friends and they reacted positively, so I kept honing it.

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

The first draft ended with “GET FUCKING VACCINATED! You privileged, self-centered, cockwombles!” Merith taught me the word cockwomble. But mostly the collaborators relayed that they thought it could work well without the turn at the end. I thought maybe it would make it more cathartic and funny, but I think leaning the other direction helped it work.

What were some of the responses to this work?

It went crazy on Instagram.

“This is the funniest shit I’ve seen in so long I love it 😂 so good!!!”

“I told my friend Michael from @bedsideroundz this was the best satire piece I’ve seen this year. 🏆🏆🏆”

“I love this so much ❤️❤️🙌🙌 I his is incredible and worded in a way I would have loved to but have always been to angry to express without sounding like I’m on the attack 😂”

“For some reason, it was the picture of avocados that made me laugh. This is so silly and so good 😂👏👏👏”

There’s also comments on the post, tremendously positive.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

Make print brochures to take to health food stores. Make cheesy video commercials and put them on tv and online.

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

Free stock photos and the right font are your friend. Work fast. There was a point in the middle I wasn’t sure it was funny at all because I’d been working too closely for too long. So keep testing with other people if it’s funny because you may not be able to know.

Also, I got an unexpected amount of comments. The straight up misinformation I would write a slam-dunk response to or just delete it. Some people asked legit questions. You can get a sense of how I handled it in the comments, but I also wrote up a summary for a friend that I can share too – reach out if needed.

About this project
Creators:

August, 2021

Image/graphic, Online/web thing

United States, Poughkeepsie

1600px Square

Creative Commons BY

I’m Just a Vaccine

Objective:

– To educate people on how vaccines are made, patented, and distributed
– To raise awareness of how patents play a detrimental role in access to vaccine
– To spark dialogue around these issues with the public

The Project:

“I’m Just a Vaccine” is a parody of School House Rock’s classic video “I’m Just a Bill’’ from 1976. The animation features a vaccine and a kid having a conversation about the vaccine pipeline and how the Covid-19 vaccine is still inaccessible to much of the world because of restrictive licensing and patents. The video directs viewers to a platform on the Free the Vaccine website that showcases past instances where patents were not enforced on heath (and other) technologies and aims to spark dialogue on these issues.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

What worked?

The video went viral! In less than 24 hours, the video got 100K+ views on Facebook via Occupy Democrats.

The video worked really well because it’s based on an iconic video with an easily identifiable style and contains accessible language about a very complex issue that empowers everyday people to engage with this pressing issue.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from Heloise Widdig

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

Daria originally came up with the idea in the Funify R&D squad and we just rolled with it! After discussing the objective of the video and the messages we wanted to get across, Dannie and Heloise formulated the script. We changed the words to get the right messages across while cutting down on the length and still keeping the structure similar to the original. Meanwhile, Daria was the mastermind behind the animation. While staying true to the iconic style of the original, she developed unique characters and setting for the video. After the first draft of the video was completed, Dannie and an actor, Eamon Kinsman, did the voiceover for the kid and the vaccine. In the final weeks before the launch date, Dannie and Heloise created a social media plan for the video’s launch.

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

A combination of Daria’s fabulous animating skills, Dannie’s tremendous organizing, writing, and voice-over skills, and Heloise’s writing and support, gave us the foundation necessary to create a successful video and have a great launch.

What were some of the responses to this work?

1.4k likes on Facebook in less than 24 hours and lots of positive comments!

About this project
Creators:

May, 2021

Video

United States, Los Angeles

2 min 44 seconds

Creative Commons BY

Download Original/High-Resolution File: ImAVaccine_Final_16_9_Subtitles.mov.zip

Our vaccine

Objective:

We want people to take a stand against vaccine nationalism by signing the European Citizen’s Initiative.

The Project:

Our video shows the contrast of our new reality during the pandemic and how life could be if we were all vaccinated. However not everyone has access to the vaccine. By supporting the European Citizen’s Initiative we can change that and make sure this pandemic ends.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

What worked?

Our video was shared by the official Instagram account of the initiative.

Other Notes:

It was the first project from us as a group.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from Julia Billian

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

Based on our idea we had to find fitting pictures. Then we put them in a video format, edited the video and added music and sound effects as well as the voiceover.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

Actually using the video as a commericial that would be played on TV would be great.

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

Have someone on your team who is a really good editor :D. Just kidding. As long as you find the resources, so where to look for free pictures, music and video clips and have a good idea, you will be fine. There are a lot of tools out there that can help you.

About this project
Creators:
  • Samira Shair
  • Ludovico Caminati
  • Kathi Wolfenstetter
  • Maanasa Gurram
  • Hannah Dawson
  • Max Wielenga
  • Alessia Gonfroid
  • Julia Billian
  • Johanna Twittenhoff
  • Owen Lukins
  • Sophie Tragert
  • Elise Potthoff

March, 2021

Video

Belgium, Brussels

1 min

Creative Commons BY

#3Rivers2Shots1PGH

Objective:

The objective of this project was to promote vaccine uptake among the Pittsburgh community. This digital design was created for applications such as stickers and event backdrops to be used at a COVID vaccine events and through digital media proliferation.

The Project:

In this digital design, #3Rivers2Shots1PGH text is paired with simple, clean imagery that defines each component of the hashtag. Within the digital design, there are two large syringes that symbolize the two shots for the COVID vaccine; these syringes act as two towers supporting Pittsburgh’s famous Andy Warhol bridge. Beneath the bridge are three strokes of wavy lines, which are representative of the three rivers of Pittsburgh

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #3Rivers2Shots1PGH

Make your own!

What worked?

The element of this project that I found to be most successful was the integration of the two syringes upholding the golden Andy Warhol bridge. It’s symbolism could be interpreted many ways, but I see it as representing how communal COVID vaccine uptake is vital to upholding and maintaining the city’s health and safety, just as the towers of a bridge are crucial to upholding the structure.

Other Notes:

As part of our efforts through Free the Vaccine, we were working with Pittsburgh’s Community Vaccine Collaborative (CVC). The CVC is a multi-disciplinary, diverse community and academic collaboration to address trustworthiness of vaccines and equitable vaccine distribution. The CVC is a partnership with researchers, clinicians, and social scientists at UPMC’s Children’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, and Chatham University, and organizations including Neighborhood Resilience Project, Casa San Jose, UrbanKind Institute, and Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Elizabeth Lusardi

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

While working as an immersive media studio assistant at Chatham University with Joseph Amodei, I was given the opportunity to use my artistic skills to create a logo to promote COVID vaccine uptake in the Pittsburgh community.

What were some of the responses to this work?

Members of the Community Vaccine Collaborative in Pittsburgh found this image to be a great way to connect the ideas of vaccination to the specific locale of Pittsburgh.

About this project
Creators:

January, 2021

Image/graphic

United States, Pittsburgh

3339 x 2576 pixels

Creative Commons BY

Download Original/High-Resolution File: Primary-image-2.tif

All I want for Christmas…

Objective:

The objective of the work was to find a playful and timely way to encourage people to head to the free the vaccine website and support the open covid pledge by signing it.

The Project:

The Kookaburra group created a giant inflatable syringe in season 1. At the end of this season we turned the action of blowing it up into the performance. Dressed in Santa and elf costumes we set up a santa’s workshop down by the Yarra River. In the video you will see Santa and the elves busy building a giant inflatable syringe to fulfil an Xmas letter to Santa. Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a free vaccine big enough for the whole world!

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make it in your community.

Connect with another holiday.

What worked?

The crowd engagement was an unexpected highlight. We had a group of children helping with one of the guy ropes as we controlled the giant puppet like syringe. They asked some fabulous questions and were really curious. My favourite comment came from a child only about 10 years old: is this an Elon Musk project?

About this project
Creators:
  • Tessa Marshall
  • Greg Giannis
  • Zan griffith

December, 2020

Performance

Australia, Melbourne

video of an action

Creative Commons BY

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:


The syringe was made by Greg Giannis in Season One. I thought it was a feat of engineering. He removed his car battery to power the inflation.

    Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from zan griffith

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

This work was building on the work done in Season 1. In Season one, Greg and Tessa built an inflatable syringe but due to Melbourne lockdown never got an opportunity to launch it. This Christmas themed work was the second time the syringe had been launched and it was also the first time all participants had met in person. The Christmas theme was a way to package up the filming of the syringe in a playful and timely manner.

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

All the collaborators brought a sense of fun and flexibility to the action. Greg Giannis was the mastermind behind the inflatable syringe. With his background in engineering he created it so that it could be inflated from the power of a car battery. Tessa Marshall as a medical doctor created the brochures that we handed out at the action. Zan, who loves a ‘dress tip’ organised the signs and costumes.

What were some of the responses to this work?

We had a lot of interest from children and in the process of inflating the syringe we drew quite a crowd.There was a definite sense of fun and curiosity from the crowd. the video of the event was edited and put on instagram with positive responses.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

A Giant Syringe Blimp to tour over major cities. (e.g. the skywhale hot air balloon by patricia piccinini)

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

It would have been great to have a few more hands on deck so that during the inflation of the syringe we could have had people talking with the crowd about our objectives. We were so busy with the handling of the syringe this opportunity was missed.

A COVID Infographic

Objective:

To share the FreeTheVaccine campaign on social media, specifically focusing on having one’s network sign the Open COVID Pledge.

The Project:

Set of infographic images detailing the importance of urging research institutions to open license the COVID vaccine.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

I received many inquiries from fellow UCLA students on the campaign, with many of my friends and family members signing on as part of the BINGO game. I also saw reposts of the graphics from strangers on Instagram, broadening our overall outreach efforts.

About this project
Creators:
  • Tiffany Chen

July, 2020

Image/graphic, Online/web thing

United States, San Francisco

2160 x 2160 px

Creative Commons BY

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:

From the infographic’s creation date on July 1st to today (July 25th), over 2 million new COVID cases have been reported globally, and almost 250,000 more deaths. Very shocking and further highlights the importance of the pledge and campaign.

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from Tiffany Chen

A Vaccine Won’t Save the World, A Free One Will

Objective:

The objective of this poster was to clearly communicate the driving mission of the Free the Vaccine campaign to a wide audience and bring attention to the fact that a COVID-19 vaccine must be free & accessible in order for the pandemic to end. The poster also worked to serve as a call to action for viewers to sign their individual support to the Open COVID Pledge, adding global pressure to institutions to sign on as well.

The Project:

A black poster with an image of a syringe floating over a cartoon-like globe with the phrase “a vaccine won’t SAVE THE WORLD. A FREE ONE WILL.” in block white and pink letters. Underneath this image is a paragraph stating “Making sure the COVID-19 vaccine is free and accessible in all parts of the world is key to ending the pandemic. A vaccine alone won’t save us, but a free one will. Sign the Open COVID Pledge.” At the very bottom is a link in blue “freethevapcine.org/sign”.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Print it and post it.

Revise the text.

Design it differently.

What worked?

In working with other FtV volunteers and feedback from activist Avram Finkelstein, I think that this poster was able to evolve into a final product that achieved communicating in a very precise way. The imagery and text also effectively connects with the emotional piece of feeling that the world is under threat and needs saving.

About this project
Creators:
  • Fiona Davey

July, 2020

Image/graphic

United Kingdom, Cambridge

1587×2245

Creative Commons BY

Download Original/High-Resolution File: 2.png

Other Notes:

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Fiona Davey

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

My squad (Seal-3) had been working to approach the virologist Hanneke Schuitemaker working to lead the vaccine initiative at Janssen Pharmaceuticals under Johnson and Johnson. While researching our protagonist, we came across an interview in which she said “treatments save lives, vaccines save populations”. Something about this phrasing really stuck in my head and so when we began to work on creating graphic designs combining images with concise phrases, I had already been thinking about the words and ideas juxtaposed around a vaccine as salvation. While attending one of our weekly meetings and upon hearing about this new mission, the phrase “A vaccine won’t save the world. A free one will.” just appeared in my mind. I began workshopping different ideas of imagery to combine with the phrase. After a lot of helpful feedback from other FtV volunteers and mentors, the poster came to the design we ended with.

What were some of the responses to this work?

There were some really exciting responses to this work including feedback from Avram Finkelstein that the phrase “A vaccine won’t save the world. A free one will.” was the gold standard for concise and clear communication.

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Scientists

Objective:

As a project, Goodnight Stories for Rebel Scientists aimed both to start conversations with scientists and incentivize them to sign the Open COVID Pledge. As an interesting project/piece of art the book was meant to captivate the attention of scientists we reached out to. Then it aimed to incentivize them by offering recognition of their work by including them among a collection of other important figures, IF they signed the OCP or worked in some other way to free the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Project:

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Scientists is the beginning of a book that tells the tales of scientists and access to medicines champions who worked diligently to end the COVID-19 pandemic in a just and equitable way. The book is a series of square images. The front cover is dark blue with the title “Goodnight Stories for Rebel Scientists” with drawn images of a syringe, the COVID-19 virus, an erlenmeyer flask, and a face wearing a mask. Following the cover are entries for two scientists, Hanneke Schuitemaker and Marion Koopmans. Each entry has a story written about the scientist and a portrait of them made by different artists. The last page of the book draft features an email written to the featured scientists asking for their help finishing their story in the book and to sign the Open COVID Pledge.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

The project helped us get the attention of Marion Koopman’s assistant. It also brought us in contact with access to medicines champion Ellen ‘t Hoen who gave our group instrumental advice in carrying forward with the campaign and who will also be featured in the book.

About this project
Creators:
  • Esther Barfoot
  • Kasia Horodynska
  • Vreer

July, 2020

Image/graphic

Netherlands, Amsterdam

2658 X 2658 pixels

Creative Commons BY

Download Original/High-Resolution File: 0001.jpg, 0002.jpg, 0003.jpg, 0004.jpg, 0005.jpg, 0006.jpg, 0007.jpg, 0008.jpg



Other Notes:

The project was inspired by the book Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls which shares the stories and work of important women throughout time.

  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Fiona Davey

What skills or perspectives did the collaborators bring to this?

Each collaborator brought different skills from art, design, writing, and organizing.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

If we had a million dollars and all the time in the world we would turn this project into a printed book with entries of all the important figures in access to medicines. We’d also commission portraits for each entry and support artists around the world.