Vaccines should protect genetically diverse populations. Therefore we tested the candidate "universal" influenza A matrix protein 2 (M2) vaccine in multiple mouse strains. Mice were primed with M2 DNA and boosted with M2 recombinant adenovirus (rAd). C57BL/6 (B6) mice developed no antibody or T-cell response to M2, while BALB/c responded strongly. CBA responses were intermediate. Both MHC and background genes influenced responsiveness. To improve low responses we immunized with adjuvanted peptide-carrier conjugates, or co-immunized with nucleoprotein (NP), which can augment T-cell help. The conjugate vaccine enhanced some outcomes but not others. Co-immunizing with NP improved outcomes over either NP or M2 immunizations alone. These results have implications for vaccination of genetically diverse populations.