According to the European Commission, Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe disease. COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARSCoV-2). People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus through inhaling small droplets from infected people who cough or sneeze or through touching contaminated surfaces and then touching nose, mouth or eyes. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but for some it can be more severe. Listed here is a collection of timely resources that illustrate social marketing approaches to controlling the effects of the virus from practitioners and academics around the world.
Featured Webinar
Designing and Implementing Campaigns in Support of Vaccination Efforts to Prevent and Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
In this United Nations Institute for Training and Research live webinar, taking place on 6 May 2021 from 9 am to 11 am EST, discussions will take place about lessons learned about, and challenges existing around, vaccine deployment. The webinar will be co-hosted by iSMA, as well as The University of York, The University of Brighton, and CIFAL York. We look forward to seeing you there.

Featured Webinar
The Next Big COVID Challenge: Promoting Vaccine Uptake.
In this recording, join our panel discussion about COVID-19’s next challenges. The evidence tells us that there are 10 key actions that will enhance the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Learn about them in our webinar.

Featured Article
A Successful Story of Vietnam in Combating COVID-19.
Vietnam has attracted international media and press on their extraordinary results in the fight with the COVID-19. In this article, Khai Trieu Tran from the University of Danang encapsulates a successful story of Vietnam in changing behaviours to combat the pandemic. Read A Successful Story of Vietnam in Combating COVID-19 in our News section.

Featured Article
Reducing the Spread of COVID-19: A Social Marketing Perspective.
Nancy Lee, MBA, has written an article we believe offers some great insights. The article presents perspectives on what Social Marketing principles, strategies and best practices appear to have been applied to reducing the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Read Reducing the Spread of COVID-19: A Social Marketing Perspective in our News section.

Featured Video
What the COVID Vaccine Does to Your Body.
An important part of making the general population more accepting of the vaccination process, and excited to help end the pandemic by getting a vaccine so that we can build herd immunity is by educating everyone about how vaccines work. Watch the featured video about vaccines on YouTube.
iSMA Webinars
The Next Big COVID Challenge: Promoting Vaccine Uptake
Recorded: January 12, 2021
In this recording, join our panel discussion about COVID-19’s next challenges. The evidence tells us that there are 10 key actions that will enhance the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Learn about them in our webinar.
COVID-19 Webinars (May 2020)
Recorded: May 2020
View iSMA’s 60-minute video Q&A with a panel of social marketers from North America, Europe and Australia to discuss how social marketing practitioners can use science-based strategies and behavioral interventions during the defining global health crisis of our time with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Speakers share tips for practitioners, then participate in a facilitated discussion in response to questions.
Session 1 – Ross Gordon (Sydney, Australia), Sara Isaac (Orlando, FL, USA), Gael O’Sullivan (Washington, DC, USA), and Mallory Peak (Spokane, WA, USA): Download the recording and open the PowerPoint.
Session 2 – Beatriz Casais (Portugal), Sara Isaac (Orlando, FL, USA), Gael O’Sullivan (Washington, DC, USA), and Mallory Peak (Spokane, WA, USA): Download the recording and open the PowerPoint.
Regional Resources
Regional Associations Make Statements on COVID-19
The Australian Association of Social Marketing (AASM), the European Social Marketing Association (ESMA), the Social Marketing Association of North America (SMANA), and the Latin American Association of Social Marketing (LAMSO) have developed statements for policymakers and assembled COVID-19 resources for the public on our respective websites. Feel free to browse these resources via the links below.
Written Resources
Articles
Below are links to recent COVID-19-related articles and literature hubs that we think you may find useful.
The Behavioral Side of the Coronavirus (Behavioural Scientist)
Coronavirus Human Resource Guide (Crowd-sourced)
Why Climate Skeptics are Less Likely to Wear Coronavirus Masks (Grist)
LitCovid Curated Literature Hub
COVID-19 Resources for Journalists (Society of Environmental Journalists)
COVID-19 Is Significantly Altering U.S. Consumer Behavior and Plans Post-Crisis (IBM Study)
Comedy Will Help Us Through the Coronavirus Crisis (The Conversation)
Coronavirus Has Hit — Here’s Why You’re Still Not Washing Your Hands (Marketing For Change)
Why Are People Ignoring Expert Warnings?—Psychological Reactance (Behavioral Scientist)
Increasing Social Connection While “Social Distancing” (Behavioral Scientist)
Consumer Sentiment and Behavior Continue to Reflect the Uncertainty of the COVID-19 Crisis
Changing Consumer, Digital Marketing, and Impact of COVID-19
Demand Creation for COVID-19. Vaccination: Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy through Social Marketing
Key Guidelines in Developing a Pre-Emptive COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake Promotion Strategy
Crisis Communication
Below are links specific to crisis management and crisis communication in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brand Communications in Time of Crisis (Alex Josephson)
The Communication Initiative Network
COVID-19: Resources for Social and Behavior Change (Compass)
Crisis Communication Resource Guide: COVID-19 (The Communications Network)
Top 4 Best Practices for Coronavirus Crisis Communications (Engagious)
COVID-19 Technical Guidance: Risk Communication and Community Engagement (World Health Organization)
Nonprofit Communications in the Age of the Coronavirus (Resource Media)
Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication Resources (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
COVID-19 Communication Resources (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Effective Communication in Outbreak Management
5 Lessons for Communicating About Coronavirus (Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs)
Crisis Marketing: How Brands Are Addressing the Coronavirus
Geography-based Campaigns
We have collected a number of sources that pertain to local COVID-19 campaigns.
Australian Government COVID-19 Resources
Canadian Government COVID-19 Resources
French Government COVID-19 Information
Greek Ministry of Health COVID-19 Information
Irish Government COVID-19 Information
Italian Government COVID-19 FAQ
Japanese Government COVID-19 Information and Resources
Mexican Government COVID-19 Information
New Zealand Government COVID-19 Resources
South African Government COVID-19 Resources
South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare COVID-19 Information
United Kingdom Government COVID-19 Resources
United States Government COVID-19 Resources
United States Crowd-sourced Resources
COVID-19 Data
Numerous organizations have collated COVID-19 data and presented it in such a way that it’s easy to understand. Below are some links to trackers, graphs, and maps, that will help you visualize the spread of the virus across the globe, as well as the progress of efforts to fight the transmission.
Johns Hopkins CSSE COVID-19 Map
Microsoft Bing Global Case Map
Worldometer Pandemic Statistics
Vaccine Information
Below are some sites where you can find out about the different types of COVID-19 vaccines in distribution and development, and track vaccination rates around the world.
McGill University: COVID-19 Vaccine Information
CDC: Facts About COVID-19 Vaccines
CDC: Types of COVID-19 Vaccines
Mayo Foundation: COVID-19 Vaccine Facts
New York Time: COVID-19 Vaccine Development Tracker
Our World in Data: COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker
The Guardian: COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker
Video Resources
Podcasts
Public Health on Call
Experts from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health offer science and evidence-based insights on the public health news of the day. The current focus is the novel coronavirus spreading around the world.
Professor Jeff French on Vaccine Strategy
Social marketing expert and visiting professor Jeff French discusses a paper seen by governments worldwide, which encourages COVID-19 vaccine uptake.