COVID-19 Lockdown Phase 1: A Study of Awareness Campaign in India by Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul)

Abstract

Public Service Advertising has created awareness amongst the general populace and has always helped change the attitude and behaviour of the masses towards any social issue. Mass media has always played a significant role in disseminating information to society and it has acted unblemished in the best interest of society during the novel Coronavirus pandemic across the nation.The Indian Government has initiated awareness campaigns through various mass communication meansbut print media advertising and specifically, Public Service Advertising circulated the conventions of the spread of COVID-19 after the voluntary curfew on March 22, 2020, which was followed by the enforcement of a nationwide lockdown Phase 1 in the country’s COVID-19 affected areas announced by the Prime Minister of India on 24th March 2020 for 21 days. The novel coronavirus pandemic instigates speculations about how it changed everything in the world. The crisis has bombarded life-altering modifications for which no one in the world was ready when it stuck. And this new normal has become a significant part of every individual. This paper will try to address the role and significance of Public Service Advertising by a brand in spreading the cognizance of the pandemic and the challenges faced during the Lockdown Phase 1. It will also speculate on the prospects of mass media tools in publicising theinformation to the population.