Ad Council, CDC and WarnerMedia Launch National PSA to Encourage Americans to Continue to "Mask Up" to Help Stop the Spread of the Coronavirus

NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad Council, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and WarnerMedia today announced the launch of a new PSA featuring key moments from some of Warner Bros.' most famous film franchises to encourage all Americans to continue to wear face masks to protect themselves and their loves ones from COVID-19. The television and digital video spot will air primarily across the WarnerMedia and AT&T video ecosystem. The PSA will also air in donated media time and space throughout the country, and is the latest example of WarnerMedia's longstanding support of the Ad Council and its mission to use the power of communications to tackle the most pressing issues facing our nation.

While COVID-19 continues to surge throughout the country, the number of Americans wearing a mask outside their home on a consistent basis has levelled off in the past few months to about three-quarters (Axios-Ipsos survey). According to projections by IMHE as of January 27, if 95% of all Americans wore a mask, nearly 22,000 lives could be saved by May 2021. As the vaccines rolls out over the coming months, the need for mask usage continues to remain critical in order to help stop the spread of the virus; however, mask usage is projected to decline in the Spring months (IMHE).

To address the importance of wearing a mask while in public and with others, key moments from Powers in Goldmember, Casablanca, Creed, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, IT, The Joker, Justice League, The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Matrix, Mad Max: Fury Road, Wonder Woman are re-imagined with characters wearing face masks in this new PSA, created pro bono by WarnerMedia Studios' in-house creative agency 10^th Street Productions as part of the Ad Council's larger "Mask Up America" initiative. The "Mask Up America" effort underscores the importance of wearing a face mask to help stop the spread of COVID-19 so that Americans can stay healthy and return to the things they miss and the people they love.

"We are so grateful to the WarnerMedia team for their commitment to educating Americans on the importance of wearing a face mask to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19," said Lisa Sherman, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "We know that face masks continue to be one of the most effective ways we can protect ourselves against the virus and we're truly grateful to Warner for lending their talent and iconic films to support to this critical message."

 First launched in partnership with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in July 2020, the "Mask Up America" campaign encourages people to minimize the spread of COVID-19 by wearing masks with those outside their household. Since its launch, the campaign has received 154 million impressions across $4.3 million in donated, earned and shared media.

"WarnerMedia is proud to help educate and inform our fans about the importance of mask wearing during this pandemic. Wearing a mask is an effective way to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19. We hope that by seeing some of our favorite heroes and characters masked up, our fans will follow suit. Mask wearing is a simple step we all can take to show up and support our communities during this difficult time," said Dennis Williams, SVP, Corporate Social Responsibility, WarnerMedia.

The "Mask Up America" campaign is part of the Ad Council's ongoing efforts to address the COVID-19 crisis. Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, the Ad Council has mobilized the industry to launch an unprecedented, multi-pronged communications effort to combat COVID-19. Since their first campaign was launched in mid-March 2020, 7 out of 10 American adults are aware of at least one of the Ad Council's COVID-19 efforts. As of January 2021, the Ad Council's efforts have reached 39 billion impressions across $434 million in donated, earned and shared media. This has translated to over 60 million consumer engagements and nearly 32 million direct sessions to Coronavirus.gov.

The PSA will be available in partnership with the Ad Council for use by broadcast and digital media outlets. The PSA will air in donated media time and space throughout the country. To download assets, visit AdCouncil.org. For the most current recommendations and guidelines on wearing a face mask, visit the CDC.gov.

The Ad Council
The Ad Council has a long history of creating life-saving public service communications in times of national crisis, starting in the organization's earliest days during World War II to September 11th and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Its deep relationships with media outlets, the creative community, issue experts and government leaders make the organization uniquely poised to quickly distribute life-saving information to millions of Americans.

The Ad Council is where creativity and causes converge. The non-profit organization brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media, technology and marketing to address many of the nation's most important causes. The Ad Council has created many of the most iconic campaigns in advertising history. Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk. Smokey Bear. Love Has No Labels.

The Ad Council's innovative social good campaigns raise awareness, inspire action and save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council's communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. The organization also includes Xandr's suite of advanced advertising solutions designed to help to improve advertising for brands, publishers, and consumers.

WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc.

Studios and Networks Group 
WarnerMedia's Studios and Network Group unites all of the company's content-focused teams, including the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, HBO and HBO Max, the Warner Bros. Television Group, DC, kids/young adults/classics (Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, TCM, Cartoon Network Studios, WB Animation), TBS, TNT, TruTV, Wizarding World, consumer products and gaming, to work together across titles, brands and franchises. The Studios and Networks Group represents an unmatched collection of world-class brands and content creators.

SOURCE The Ad Council

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