City of Prague launches new safety campaign featuring real-life photos of frontline workers

Prague City Hall has launched a poster campaign to combat the spread of coronavirus. The campaign shows how important responsibility is now more than ever, especially protecting the people around us who are at the forefront of the pandemic and saving lives every day.

The new “Protect Yourself and Others” (Chraňte sebe i ostatní) campaign is based on positive communication and uses photographs of real people from the ranks of rescuers, police officers, firefighters and the Czech Red Cross.

As they were in first wave of the virus in the spring, these people are a symbol of maximum commitment during a pandemic. City Hall says that people should be responsible and protect their own health by complying with the safety measures. This in turn will protect the people on the front lines.

“The campaign points out that basic rules and principles that are the most effective way to reduce the spread of the disease. Especially now, when the number of patients and in quarantine is growing, the campaign reminds us that our behavior affects not only the our own health of ourselves, but also the health of others,” Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) said.

Prague Deputy Mayor Petr Hlubuček (United Force for Prague), responsible for safety, said that people are constantly attacked by a large number of negative messages. “Therefore, I am very pleased that this campaign is being conducted positively. We are trying to motivate citizens to comply with basic security measures with the help of real heroes. We also help refute a number of fake news items circulating on the Internet in connection with COVID-19,” he said.

The goal of the "Protect Yourself and Others" campaign is to appeal to the public to comply with all government measures by pointing out front-line people who people can protect via responsible behavior, consideration and decency during this critical period of the pandemic. It also aims to reach out to the public and motivate some people who refuse to follow the rules to remember those who are in danger every day, the thousands of doctors, nurses, paramedics, police or firefighters across the country who fight for save human lives.

City Councilor Milena Johnová (Praha sobě), responsible for health and social affairs, said that during the time the health minister should be a role model for all citizens, it is clear from whom we should really take an example, referring to the ongoing scandal of Minister Roman Prymula being caught violating rules for masks and visiting restaurants.

“[The role models] are paramedics and volunteers who, for example, have decided to help in nursing homes or hospitals through the Czech Red Cross. These are real heroes we can trust when they say that we can do it together, and I am glad that they are the face of the campaign,” Johnová said.

The campaign was created by the City Hall department of media and marketing, and the total cost of its production and installation in public space was approximately 360,000 CZK without VAT. It uses part of the outdoor areas provided to the city free of charge by the Association of Outdoor Advertising Operators (SPVR). The campaign will also appear in printed periodicals, radio, online media, social networks and billboards around Prague. Other media also offered space free of charge.

The next part of the campaign will involve some celebrities and social-media influencers.