Tag: masks

I was asked by Scripps Network about masks, and here is what I told them:

One story of the Covid-19 pandemic is the story of masks. At the early stages of the pandemic in the United States, the story was on the value of masks for health care professionals. This quickly moved to  stories of who had masks, who didn’t, and how do we get masks to the people who need them? Next came stories of brand efforts to produce masks along with grassroot efforts to create homemade masks for family, friends, neighbors, and communities. In some ways, masks became a symbol of something that binds us together—one thing that we all need to fight the monster that has invaded all of our lives.

But now masks have been politicized, with some in our community believing that wearing masks encroaches on their freedoms.  While I support anyone’s right to protest, it angers me to see mobs of protesters, without masks, gathering in public places. It hurts my heart to see people threatening to boycott CostCo because of their mandatory mask policy.  And I worry about retail employees being threatened by patrons when employees have  to enforce state-mandated mask rules.

Wearing a mask isn’t a political statement, in my opinion. It is a sign of empathy and resilience. Empathy because I wear the mask not for me, but for you.  If I have the virus but am asymptomatic, my mask keeps you from being exposed.  Resilience because I believe that together, we can move past this crisis and rebuild our lives and our communities. But we can’t move past this crisis without all of us doing our part.

Brands can play a big role in normalizing the wearing of masks. Brand spokespeople can wear masks in all public-facing activities. Ads and social media messages can show people wearing masks—everybody, not just health care workers.  Messages can connect masks to ‘we’re all in this together’ messages, changing what is becoming a superficial platitude to a strong call to action.  How about a mask free with purchase? Or one mask mailed as part of every Amazon or Chewy delivery?

Brands have done this in the past successfully.  Cheerios’ ads celebrated all all kinds of families, including those where parents are from different racial groups.  Subaru  and Ikea were two of the first companies to specifically target lesbians and normalize same-sex couples in society.  Advertising is a powerful force in normalizing a variety of behaviors in our society.

Brands, show us your empathy and resilience.  Show people wearing masks. And I promise, I’ll wear my mask with pride.