MUMBAI: Network18 has launched a nationwide campaign exhorting people to make, wear and distribute home-made masks under #MakeYourOwnMask initiative. This is the latest initiative in a series that includes #StayHome and #IndiaGives, devised to battle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The campaign, announced last week, has three major planks — spreading consciousness among people to wear masks when outdoors, making those masks at home to reduce the stress on medical-grade masks that are in short supply and much-needed by medical workers and unleashing creativity and a spirit of involvement among people to produce these masks,” reads an official statement.
This is the second public awareness and engagement campaign regarding the current health crisis by the group after #IndiaGives, in the wake of the global health crisis. Network18 chief executive officer -- Television News Avinash Kaul says: “Network18 takes its responsibility as a corporate citizens and a force for good in society very seriously. It has always been involved with causes that are aligned with nation-building, and given we are India's largest news network with three weeks’ lockdown reach at 50 crores unduplicated viewers, it is imperative that our campaigns are aligned with the issues of the day to create maximum impact.”
The campaign, an editorial initiative, will showcase a series of programs and videos across all its news channels and digital properties on ways to make masks using easily available material at home.
The channels will also telecast short DIY #MakeYourOwnMask tutorials throughout the day at the end of each bulletin to make this essential product accessible to everyone in their homes. In addition, the team of anchors and reporters will support the cause by wearing their homemade masks to further encourage the viewers about safety.
A digital campaign has been planned wherein people can log onto Firstpost and News18 websites to find DIY tutorials, graphics and social media feed of the campaign catching steam on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Viewers will be invited to share their selfies, photographs, videos and stories of making masks at home, which will be further amplified across the channels and digital media.
Network18 president – digital & corporate strategy Puneet Singhvi says, “The digital news fronts are already seeing a surge of a new audience and higher engagement driven by a need to keep up with updates and developments around the situation. This is true especially for a media house like ours that has a backing of the largest news network combined with massive digital reach. Through this campaign, we are looking at setting new standards of audience engagement.”
With this initiative, Network18 aims to spearhead wearing of masks a social norm and lead a definitive journey to ensure good public health. For more information, the group urges viewers to log onto http://www.news18.com/makeyourownmask
