COVID-19 Public Safety Announcements are everywhere. Businesses of all sorts place posters at their entrances to remind the visitors on safety measures and rules during the pandemic. Thankfully, there is a variety of PSA sources available, with so many creators being kind enough to make their use free for everyone. With this in mind, digital signage users can make use of PSAs even more.
Apart from the rotation of multiple posters and images in a relatively short period of time, digital signage can do a lot more, including the ability to incorporate video PSAs. As we list quality PSA sources for this use, the majority of video sources we’ll mention below can function without audio, making them perfect for every digital signage network.
The World Health Organization
As their website stays on top of the current information about the COVID-19 outbreak, the WHO (World Health Organization) has made several PSAs available for use by anyone who needs them.
On the WHO website, you’ll primarily find posters which can be used both in print and digital form. Videos are available too, but they may not be applicable to all instances of digital signage due to their format. Some rely on audio to convey the message, though many can be used without.
These PSAs focus on a variety of topics and questions that emerge during the pandemic. This includes greeting others, the effectiveness of gloves in protecting against the virus, etc. Given the multitude of topics in these PSAs, it is likely more than one would fit to the environment where you intend to use them.
PSAs by EDIT
Another excellent source of poster PSAs is the graphics supplier EDIT. There are many options, ranging from simple one-image posters, to more complex ones. Be it a common reminder for your customers to keep their distance from each other, or a step-by-step guide on how to properly wash one’s hands, any of them would be a great addition to your digital signage content rotation.
Using EDIT, you also have the option to customize each poster with your own logo, placed beside the WHO logo. You can edit the poster further, which is another plus if you want to adjust the PSA slightly to be more specific and fitting to the message you want to send.
PSA for thanking frontline workers
Veering away from static posters and images, here is one high-quality source you can incorporate in your campaigns. A collaboration between Sixteen:Nine and LA-based creative shop Studio Kudzu brought us a great PSA thanking the frontline workers.
Just as Dave Haynes, of Sixteen:Nine, said about this video, although it might not capture every single individual who deserves a thanks during this difficult time, it covers quite a lot!
Bannister Lake COVID-19 Widget
From Bannister Lake, a software company focusing on merging data and graphics together, comes a world map web widget with COVID-19 data, free of charge as a free public service. This widget displays the summary of information collected from local, national, and international news and sources.
This widget is constantly tracking the extent of the outbreak, using reliable data to display as accurate a view as possible.
Quality stock image and video sources
If you’re looking for additional tools and sources, you can always turn to sites for free stock content.
Pexels is a great source for both images and videos. Although the images you find might not be the standard style of your regular PSA, plenty of them could be put to use in your content rotation. There is also a variety of high-quality COVID-19 videos on the site. Take a look at this link as a search example for quick and easy access to free-to-use videos.
Pixabay is another quality source for COVID-19 content, specifically for videos. Note that the first line of results is typically the sponsored videos you need to pay for.
Unsplash is an excellent source for free stock images. You could use COVID-19 images from this page as parts of your PSA or a background for your message.
Reliable sources for COVID-19 information
Apart from PSAs, reminders and instructions, you might also use your digital signage network to display recent news and information on COVID-19. The World Health Organization website is the first stop for up-to-date information. However, if you want more options, here are some good websites to follow:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the basics on COVID-19
- New England Journal of Medicine, for research on COVID-19
- Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, for the latest news on COVID-19
Also, you can use tools like NewsGuard which checks for validity of your search results and how credible they are. This would make it easier for you to navigate the online information flow and bypass any suspicious, speculative, or inaccurate data. This tool is usually a premium asset, but as a free public service, anyone can use it free of charge until July 1st.
All the sources listed above are more than enough to incorporate a standard PSA into your digital signage content. It’s perhaps safe to say that, by now, most people know and understand the core threat the virus poses. Thus, PSAs don’t need to dominate your campaigns to be effective. Simply reminding the viewer of the basics should be more than enough. And with digital signage, you could cover them quickly and easily!
