“Harry Potter” Characters Join a Coronavirus Safety Campaign
A scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is featured in the new COVID-19 safety campaign from WarnerMedia, the Ad Council, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The three establishments have teamed up to create a public service announcement (PSA) video highlighting the need to wear a mask. It shows memorable scenes from famous films, including Harry’s epic defeat of Lord Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts and Neo’s bullet-dodging skills in The Matrix. The idea of the PSA is to show the public that their favorite characters wear masks, even if they are in a final, magical battle against their lifelong nemesis or dancing their way down a staircase. It is designed to show how easy it is to wear masks and make people feel more comfortable wearing one themselves.
Credit: Ad Council
This video is part of the Ad Council’s ongoing Mask Up America campaign, which started in July 2020. You will start to see it across WarnerMedia’s TV and digital channels – such as HBO – soon, and it will also be featured on WarnerMedia’s social media channels. Dennis Williams, SVP of corporate affairs & corporate social responsibility at WarnerMedia, explained the company’s thinking behind the ad:
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.
Lisa Sherman, president and chief executive officer of the Ad Council, shared her appreciation of WarnerMedia, saying that the organization is “truly grateful to Warner for lending their talent and iconic films to support this critical message.”
The video itself is an amalgamation of classic film scenes from across Warner’s catalog. The scenes come from a variety of genres, including everything from romance to horror. With so many iconic faces masked up for the video, it’s sure to gain worldwide attention. The video isn’t just movie scenes, however – a text overlay reading “Let’s get back to doing our favorite things, whatever that might be. Slow the spread. Mask up America” is scattered throughout the video. The point of the video – and the campaign’s overall message – couldn’t be clearer, and hopefully, the familiar faces used in the video will encourage people to listen to it.
Harry’s famous battle with Lord Voldemort is one of many legendary scenes featured in this new PSA, with the two eternal enemies dueling while sporting face masks to keep themselves safe. Who is your favorite mask-wearing character?
