Background

Amidst the rising toll of Coronavirus cases and the fear of community spread, it was critical to share the message that everyone should wear masks. We also needed to resolve the acute shortage of medical masks and communicate the need to save them for frontline workers. Inspiring and activating a national solution was the need of the nation. And the national newspaper decided to take the lead and ignite the movement to mask India. Challenge: An epidemic of epic proportions was spreading across India. It was critical to ensure that everyone wears a mask to stop the spread of the virus. Problem: We do not have 1.3 billion medical masks. We need to save the N95 and Surgical Masks for the doctors, nurses, police and frontline workers. Solution: MAKE YOUR OWN MASK using any clean cloth or garment like the turban, dupatta, gamcha, saree, pallu, scarf, bandana or handkerchief.

Describe the strategy

To multiply reach of the campaign and drive engagement and practice, #MaskIndia was conceptualized as the first completely integrated campaign between the Times of India and Times Internet and Times Outdoor. News channels across the Times Network regularly broadcast the need to wear homemade masks. All TOI and TIL properties are teaching Indians how to make, wear, sanitize and dispose of their masks. The #MaskIndia hashtag compels citizens to participate and upload pictures wearing their self-made masks on the campaign website – so the world can see how Indians are fighting back! The on ground campaign to amplify the message got a huge bonus in the national press with major news stories when the Prime Minister tweeted about #MaskIndia and followed up by making and wearing his own homemade ghamcha mask, during every public appearance.

Describe the execution

MILLIONS JOINED THE MOVEMENT INSPIRING INDIA INTO ACTION From Celebrities Online with DIY Mask Tutorials to Homemade Mask Champions on the street. Graffiti Artists and Activists painted masks into iconic Indian art, cinema posters, comic characters and famous statues. Triggering a chain reaction from the walls of India to the millions in rural India. The onground strategy of using the walls of India to amplify the message got a huge bonus in the national press with major news stories when the Prime Minister tweeted about #MaskIndia and followed up by making and wearing his own homemade ghamcha mask, during every public appearance.

List the results

INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION AND CREATING POPULAR CULTURE. From masks rooted in folk culture to millions of homemade masked selfies became portraits of the new normal online and on every street. ACTIVATING A CHAIN REACTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH DIY HOMEMADE MASKS. The campaign generated a unanimous response from millions of Indians including the Prime Minister Modi who sported different homemade gamcha masks elevating the movement across the country. MILLIONS JOINED THE MOVEMENT INSPIRING INDIA INTO ACTION From Celebrities Online with DIY Mask Tutorials to Homemade Mask Champions on the street. Graffiti Artists and Activists painted masks into iconic Indian art, cinema posters, comic characters and famous statues. A chain reaction from the walls of India to the millions in rural India. ALL INDIA REACTION: Millions of Indians made their own masks and wore them everywhere. A billion homemade masks are the new normal online and on the streets of India.