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Today at his daily briefing, Governor Andrew Cuomo (along with daughter Mariah) proclaimed the winning entry in a state-sponsored contest for a crowd-sourced public service announcement meant to remind New Yorkers to wear a mask while outside. With some 200,000 people casting their ballots online, “We Love NY” by Bunny Lake Films (Celine Danhier and Aliya Naumoff) beat out a field that started out with 600 submissions before the number was winnowed down to five finalists. The 30-second commercial will be aired along with the contest's runner-up,"You Can Still Smile," by Blue Slate Films/Natalia Bougadellis.
Cuomo announced the campaign at the beginning of May, when it had became clear that a lot of New Yorkers hadn't read the memo that wearing face masks had become mandatory back in mid-April. Despite the threat of receiving a fine for flouting the rule, a goodly percentage of residents—especially in the Five Boroughs—seemed to have few fucks left to give about the ordinance, compelling Cuomo to finally reach for the carrot in lieu of the stick. Thus, the feel-good contest was born.
Both “We Love NY” and "You Can Still Smile" feature a widely diverse cast of ordinary New Yorkers testifying to the virtues of wearing a mask as the best way to contain—and eventually beat—the pandemic. It's good advice, and you can check out both videos below. So for Chrissake, pay attention.
