Facebook reinforces the need of taking COVID precautions in new campaign

Titled #MyStory, the campaign is made in collaboration with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Population Foundation of India and Love Matters India.

Due to the decline in the number of COVID cases, people have started taking precautions for granted. This can land India into the pandemic’s third wave, even quicker.

To highlight the importance of taking continued precautions, Facebook, in partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Population Foundation of India and Love Matters India, has rolled out #MyStory campaign.

Conceptualised and created by Weber Shandwick India, the campaign includes 10 short films. Each one narrates personal and relatable stories about the impact of COVID on our lives.

The campaign makes an appeal to people to share their personal experiences of the pandemic to build a sense of community from shared experiences. The films were conceptualised as a part of a behavioural change campaign, with the insight that relatable stories lead to normalisation and, in turn, greater acceptance of COVID-appropriate behaviours and vaccination.

The 15-20-second-long films feature impactful storytelling and a strong reveal at the end. For example, one of the videos showcases an individual, who is keen to visit Goa over an upcoming long weekend, but is taken to task by his friend, who reminds him of the importance of observing safeguards against a possible third wave. Another video highlights the importance of wearing double masks, in spite of one being vaccinated.

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Commenting on the campaign, Manish Chopra, director and head of partnerships, Facebook, said, “Ever since the start of the pandemic, we have been working closely with health experts and governments worldwide to direct users to authentic resources on health. We want to encourage them to follow appropriate behaviours that can help curb the pandemic.”

“People have undergone different experiences in the past year-and-a-half, and every experience is a story in itself. The idea behind #MyStory is also to encourage these people to come forward and share their stories. At a larger level, through this campaign, we want to ‘normalise’ COVID safety protocols and the need to get vaccinated.”

Poonam Muttreja, of Population Foundation of India, added, "What makes this campaign stand out is its powerful storytelling. Many of these stories feature, or are focused on, women, which is important. Women are critical decision-makers for health and well-being in their families. COVID has disproportionately impacted women and girls in many different ways."

The mobile-first approach of the campaign makes it easily consumable, and also increases its impact, especially among the youth.