In an effort to spread more awareness to younger audiences regarding the safety measures that are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is reportedly using in-game pandemic PSAs to get the message across.
The pandemic PSAs are currently featured in games like 'Dirt Rally 2.0,' 'Super Elite,' 'Strange Brigade,' and 'Candy Crush.' The PSAs are featured before each game starts, and throughout ad breaks in 'Candy Crush.'
As cases continue to rise in the UK and many young consumers are still getting used to staying indoors, the PSAs aim to reenforce the government's messaging and remind audiences of the importance of following the policies that are currently in place.
Image Credit: Ars Technica
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- In-game Psas
- In-game pandemic PSAs are an effective way of reaching younger audiences and could be utilized for a variety of messaging beyond COVID-19.
- Public Awareness Gaming
- Using games to spread public awareness messages could become a new form of entertainment, beyond traditional advertising.
- Gamification of Public Policy
- Incorporating gaming elements into public policy messaging could improve engagement and understanding among younger generations.
Where This Applies
- Gaming
- The gaming industry has the opportunity to expand its partnership with governments and organizations to spread public awareness messaging.
- Advertising
- Advertising agencies could pivot to creating more impactful public awareness campaigns through innovative channels, like gaming.
- Government
- Governments can utilize technology and innovative communication methods to better communicate with the younger generations around important public policies.
