Mumbai: Network18, in keeping with its long-standing practice of pioneering and promoting socially relevant causes, has launched a nationwide campaign exhorting people to make, wear and distribute home-made masks. India’s largest news network has always spearheaded campaigns that are aligned with the issues of the day and #MakeYourOwnMask is the latest in a series that includes #StayHome and #IndiaGives, all of which have been devised to battle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world. 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.
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. Speaking on the occasion, Avinash Kaul, CEO –Television News, Network18 said, “Network18 takes its responsibility as a corporate citizen 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 3 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. The team of anchors and reporters will support the cause by wearing their homemade masks to further encourage the viewers about safety.
A robust 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. Puneet Singhvi, President – Digital & Corporate Strategy, Network18, 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 log onto http://www.news18.com/makeyourownmask
