PPB January 2021

Face masks are recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization for preventing the spread of novel viruses like the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus. They are designed to act as a filter, preventing wearers from spreading virus-carrying particles—and it looks like most Americans are on board with wearing them. Slickdeals, an online platform for retail coupons and discounts, released the results of its nationwide survey of 5,000 Americans in November 2020, which included 100 participants per state, on mask-wearing behaviors. Although there was a significant variation in peoples’ mask- wearing behaviors depending on where they live, nationwide more than eight in 10 Americans (83 percent) said they wear a face mask whenever they are in public, regardless of whether it is required by law or not. States where residents are least likely to mask up are South Dakota (54 percent) and Wyoming (54 percent), and states with the most mask-wearers are Rhode Island (96 percent), Connecticut (95 percent) and Hawaii (94 percent). Hanes PartnersWith Social Media Influencers To Encourage People To #MaskAround In line with the release of its first-ever line of washable and reusable face masks, in late July 2020, Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based supplier Hanes launched #MaskAround, a social media campaign to encourage people to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. To get the word out and specifically target younger demographics, Hanes partnered with social media influencers on Instagram and TikTok to share how they wear face masks in different places, such as while sitting around a firepit with friends, at a drive-in movie or at a picnic. Influencers included Richard Robinson, marketing director of Brain Juice in Austin, Texas; Dawn Darnell, a Houston, Texas-based lifestyle blogger, and Tiffany Battle, a New York-based style, beauty, lifestyle and nail blogger. Hanes also partnered with Mark Horvath, founder of Invisible People—a nonprofit that advocates for the country’s homeless population through education and outreach, and to which Hanes has donated more than three million pairs of socks and other clothing items since 2009— and the supplier donated one million face masks to nonprofits nationwide that support the homeless population. And during the 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, which was executed with a virtual spin on Thanksgiving Day 2020, Hanes—which was the “Official Smile” of the celebration—provided thousands of brightly colored red, blue, green, orange, pink and yellow face masks, which all featured a screen-printed line graphic of a smile, to parade volunteers, staff and participants. Ahead of the parade, Hanes generated excitement on Instagram with a platform-based giveaway on November 17, 2020, which awarded three randomly-selected winners with a gift basket filled with these limited-edition face masks and other branded gear from the parade, and a $100 Macy’s gift card. To enter, participants were asked to “like” Hanes’ Instagram account, to “like” the post announcing the giveaway and to tag two friends who “make them smile.” | JANUARY 2021 | 19 INNOVATE