At a time when some advertisers are hitting pause on spending and others are avoiding appearing next to coronavirus articles — or even just “bad news” — the U.K. government is rapidly ascending the rankings of U.K. news publishers’ most important clients — and cheerleaders — during the crisis.
The U.K. government has aired a coronavirus public information campaign across print, TV, radio, digital and outdoor since March. The latest iteration of the campaign, which was created by the National Health Service’s ad agency MullenLowe, features frontline health workers and the tagline, “Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.” Wavemaker is the media agency leading the push.
“We recognize the vital role that media organizations, including local newspapers, play in ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality information during this time,” said a U.K. government spokeswoman. “We also understand the acute pressures newspapers are facing financially due to the steep drop in advertising revenues and the implications of the lockdown on print circulation.”
Read More: The government is becoming U.K. news publishers’ most important client
