The Great Race – A Global Initiative to Promote Mask-Wearing
From the Nominator
"Promoting mask-wearing has been an international priority for public health agencies around the world throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Many approaches have been tried, from informational materials on how masks prevent transmission of infection to mask mandates. These approaches have been partially effective, but they have failed to resonate with many important target audiences. Research suggests that some alternative strategies, such as using narratives, humor, and an entertainment-education approach, could be more effective for promoting health behaviors across all audiences.
This short, animated video used a humorous, entertaining narrative to promote mask-wearing to a broad, diverse audience. Using culturally neutral characters, the video was designed to be completely wordless. An engaging soundtrack and an easily shareable short format catalyzed rapid, spontaneous dissemination via social media. The video reached more than 6 million views through its original single YouTube post and went on to reach even more audiences around the world through re-posts. This innovative, cost-effective approach to health communication on COVID-19 priority topics was featured in a peer-reviewed commentary in the Journal of Global Health and has been the focus of several research studies led by the Heidelberg Institute for Global Health in Germany."
From the Judges
Fun animation with engaging music. Accessible to all and conveys a simple, but important message.