Analysis of the advertising of vaccination centers in Tashkent

This article analyzes the effectiveness of advertising vaccination centers in Tashkent, focusing on key aspects and trends in their customer engagement. In the context of the increasing role of digital technologies and social networks, the article examines the impact of Internet presence and word of mouth on the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. The authors analyze the needs of vaccination centers and substantiate the advantages of current advertising strategies, noting the minimal need for additional methods of attracting customers.

Keywords: advertising, vaccination centers, vaccine, vaccination, Tashkent, social networks, word of mouth, advertising strategies.

В данной статье проводится анализ эффективности рекламы центров вакцинации в городе Ташкенте, сосредотачивая внимание на ключевых аспектах и тенденциях в привлечении клиентов. В контексте увеличивающейся роли цифровых технологий и социальных сетей, статья рассматривает влияние интернет-присутствия и сарафанного радио на эффективность рекламных кампаний. Автор анализирует потребности центров вакцинации и обосновывает преимущества текущих рекламных стратегий, отмечая минимальную необходимость в дополнительных методах привлечения клиентов.

Ключевые слова: реклама, центры вакцинации, вакцина, вакцинация, Ташкент, социальные сети, сарафанное радио, рекламные стратегии.

Vaccination is a simple, safe and effective way to protect against diseases before contact with their pathogens. It activates the body's natural defense mechanisms to form resistance to infections and strengthens the immune system. Vaccines train the immune system to produce specific antibodies using killed or weakened forms of pathogens — viruses or bacteria — that do not cause disease and do not pose a risk of complications. Most vaccines are used in the form of injections, but there are also oral vaccines (by mouth) and vaccines in the form of nasal aerosols (through the nose) [1].

Without vaccination, we are at risk of serious diseases such as measles, meningitis, pneumonia, tetanus and polio, many of which are life-threatening. WHO estimates that childhood vaccines save more than 4 million lives annually. Although some diseases are becoming less common, their pathogens continue to circulate in some regions of the world. In the modern world, infectious diseases can easily cross borders and infect people without immunity. Vaccination is important to protect yourself and others. Newborns, people with serious illnesses or certain allergies cannot be vaccinated, and their protection depends on the availability of vaccinations from others [2].

The vaccination calendar is a scheme for the introduction of vaccines and their list necessary to protect citizens from infections. It is compiled taking into account the availability of vaccines and the financial capabilities of the state. Russia and Uzbekistan have their own national vaccination calendars, which differ depending on the epidemiological situation and the recommendations of health authorities [3].

The importance of the vaccination calendar:

— Child protection: Adherence to the vaccination calendar is critically important to protect children from dangerous diseases. Failure to comply with the vaccination schedule can lead to serious complications and even death.

— Access to educational institutions: In Uzbekistan and Russia, children who have not undergone mandatory vaccinations may be denied admission to State kindergartens and schools.

Advertising is the placement of advertisements and messages by commercial firms, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and individuals to inform or convince a target audience about their products, services, organizations, or ideas. The advertiser always pays for the placement of ads, for example, for impressions on an advertising network or a blog post. Advertising is distributed through television, the Internet, radio and other media in order to encourage the consumer to perform a targeted action [4].

Advertising functions:

— Economic: Stimulates the demand for the product, contributing to the growth of the company's income.

— Social: Forms patterns of behavior, values, habits and standards of thinking.

— Marketing: Creates a need for a product, arouses interest, proves its usefulness and demonstrates its advantages.

— Communicative: Informs consumers about the product by delivering a message to the target audience.

The goals and objectives of advertising:

1. Inform the target audience about the product, which is important at the initial stage of promotion.
2. Convince consumers to buy a product, especially during a competitive struggle.
3. To remind about the product in order to maintain interest in already known products.

Types of advertising:

1. Outdoor advertising: Placed outdoors on stationary or mobile media, such as roadside billboards or digital screens. It is used by businesses operating offline, for example, sushi bars, hotels and developers.
2. Online advertising: Includes any ads on the Internet.
3. Targeted advertising: Targeted at users with certain characteristics, often used on social networks.
4. Search advertising: it is shown in the search results by keywords.
5. Contextual display advertising: it is shown on partner sites to those who were previously interested in the topic.
6. Native advertising: It harmoniously fits into the content and design of the page, providing value to the user without direct sale.
7. Advertising from bloggers: A part of influencer marketing where bloggers talk about a company or product for payment [4].

There is high competition in the private vaccination market in Tashkent. The main players in the market are Lumen vita; Immuno C; Evimedkids; Ovcharov; Soriz; Azbuka Zdorov'ya; Hadas.

Vaccination centers in Tashkent actively use social networks to inform and attract patients. The main platforms used to interact with the audience include:

1. Instagram[*] (recognized as an extremist organization and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation) is used for publications with information about vaccinations, work schedules, promotions and events, as well as for interacting with subscribers through comments and direct messages.
2. Facebook* (recognized as an extremist organization and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation) is used to publish information posts, articles and announcements about new services, as well as to create events and send invitations to users.
3. Telegram is used to create channels and chats where information about vaccinations and answers to patients' questions is distributed, as well as to send notifications about appointment schedules and availability of vaccines.
4. Almost all major vaccination centers in Tashkent have their own websites, where full information about the services provided, vaccines and contact information is available. On these sites, you can also make an appointment online, find informative articles and answers to frequently asked questions, as well as use contact forms to contact the clinic.
5. Ratings and reviews in map applications (2GIS, YandexMaps, GoogleMaps) play an important role in choosing a vaccination center. High ratings indicate the quality of services provided and patient satisfaction, ratings are shown in Table 1.

Ratings of vaccination centers in mobile map applications

In Tashkent, vaccination is carried out by both state polyclinics and private centers. Despite the availability of public services, many parents prefer private centers.

In public clinics, there are often cases when certain vaccines run out or are not available at all. Parents faced with such a shortage are forced to look for a solution in private centers, where vaccines are more accessible and their range is wider. Many residents of Tashkent do not trust vaccines produced in India or China, preferring vaccines from Western manufacturers. Private centers offer vaccines from Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the USA, which causes greater trust among parents. In public clinics, admission is often conducted simultaneously for healthy and sick children, which increases the risk of infection and discomfort. In addition, working hours and days of admission for vaccination are limited (usually twice a week from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.), which creates queues and inconveniences for parents.

Ensuring the availability of vaccines from Western countries such as Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the USA in private vaccination centers solves the problem of distrust of the quality of vaccinations and increases parents' confidence in their safety and effectiveness. These centers accept only healthy children, which reduces the risk of infection, and make appointments by appointment, which eliminates long queues and ensures the speed and convenience of the process. Foreign citizens and their children can get vaccinated in these centers, which is not always possible in government institutions, which is especially important for foreign families living in Tashkent. Doctors in private centers maintain contact with patients after vaccination to ensure the success of the procedure and provide recommendations in case of side effects, which provides additional peace of mind and safety for parents.

Ways to advertise vaccination centers:

Instagram* (Recognized as an extremist organization and banned in the Russian Federation) is the most popular platform among young parents. Posts, stories and commercials reach a wide audience here. The high visual appeal of the content contributes to a better perception of information.

Facebook* (Recognized as an extremist organization and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation) is effective for publishing detailed information, creating events and interacting with the audience. It is useful for reaching a more mature audience.

Telegram: It is convenient for timely informing through channels and chats. It is useful for direct interaction and mailing lists.

Own websites. The websites of the centers serve as the main source of information about the services provided, work schedules and contact information. They also allow you to make an appointment online, which improves the convenience for patients. Multilingual websites (Uzbek, English, Russian) help reach a wider audience, including foreign citizens. Working on website translation improves the availability of information.

Maps (Google, Yandex, 2GIS) — Ratings and reviews in these applications help patients make a choice. They also provide visibility of the center on the map, which simplifies search and access for potential customers.

Unused advertising methods due to inexpediency of costs:

— The rejection of TV advertising is due to the high cost, starting from 1.5 million soums per minute (10.7 thousand rubles), as well as the expensive production of high-quality video, starting from 2 million soums per minute (14.2 thousand rubles). For highly targeted services such as vaccination, where the audience is limited and segmented, such high costs are not justified.

— The rejection of radio advertising is due to its high cost, starting from 150 thousand soums per minute (1 thousand rubles), as well as daily costs reaching from 15 million soums per month (107 thousand rubles). In addition, radio advertising has a limited impact on the target audience, which makes it impractical compared to other, more effective channels.

— The rejection of street posters and banners is due to their high cost of placement, starting from 5 million soums per month (35.7 thousand rubles), as well as limited efficiency. Street advertising is less targeted and often does not reach the target audience, which makes it less attractive compared to other channels.

— The refusal to advertise in help services is due to their high cost of 1 million soums per month (7 thousand rubles) per year, as well as low efficiency and lack of significant influence on customer decision-making. High costs are not justified in this case.

In conclusion, it is important to note that the advertising of private vaccination centers in Tashkent demonstrates high efficiency due to an active presence on social networks and maintaining quality through word of mouth. The presence on the Internet and social networks allows vaccination centers in Tashkent to effectively inform and interact with the population, increasing awareness of the importance of vaccination and facilitating access to medical services. High ratings in card applications serve as an indicator of patient trust and satisfaction, which helps attract new customers. The advertising needs of private vaccination centers are minimal due to high recognition through social networks, maps and word of mouth. The focus is on providing addresses and useful information. High ratings and positive reviews in the maps applications confirm the quality of services and help attract new customers. The advertising methods used provide a targeted and effective impact on the target audience, while the rejection of expensive and inefficient methods allows you to optimize the budget. Additional measures, such as the creation of pages on Vkontakte, the development of content for platforms such as Tiktok and VK-Video, may be appropriate to attract the attention of the population of CIS countries and foreigners.

References:

1. The World Health Organization. (n.d.). Vaccines and immunization: What is vaccination? Taken from https://www.who.int/en/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/vaccines-and-immunization-what-is-vaccination
2. Digital Global Business. (n.d.). Vaccination. Taken from https://dgb8.ru/vaktsinatsiya/
3. Vaccination. (n.d.). Extracted from https://privivki.uz/upload/Calendar_new_a5_flyer_rus.pdf
4. Skillbox. (n.d.). What is advertising for words: a huge audience. Extracted from https://skillbox.ru/media/marketing/chto-takoe-reklama-prostymi-slovami-ob-ogromnoy-industrii/

[*]Instagram и Facebook, продукты компании Meta, которая признана экстремистской организацией в России