From the Nominator

The American University of Beirut (AUB) has long been committed to serving the public good, which is a key component of our mission. Faced with a staggering 220% increase in COVID-19 cases in Lebanon in October 2020 compared with August, and amid widespread flouting of precautionary measures to combat its spread—particularly among the youth in Lebanon—AUB decided to produce a video aimed at engaging young people, and promoting the wearing of face masks. 

Although not a traditional Lebanese holiday, Halloween has been embraced by the younger generation in Lebanon. It is a highly anticipated night of costume parties and going out on the town for young adults and trick-or-treating for kids and teens. Our approach was to use this enthusiasm for Halloween to connect with the youth of Lebanon through their preferred medium: social media. AUB produced a 44-second video showing a series of young people dressed up in Halloween costumes (including face masks) fleeing in terror from a mysterious man walking toward them, whose face is not shown until the end. The threat that they are running and hiding from, revealed at the very end, is a man not wearing a face mask with the words, “The scariest thing this Halloween is no mask at all.”

The video was shared on AUB’s social media platforms just before Halloween, and was an instant hit, reaching more than 95 million viewers in only 48 hours.

From the Judges

This is an effective PSA; it draws you in, building intrigue until the bitter end. We think the messaging would resonate with the student population, and it's an unexpected twist on what would have been tired pandemic messaging. We thought it was a great piece.