Supporting the UN Covid-19 response

In April the United Nations put a global call out to creators, asking them to help stop the spread of Covid-19. The purpose, to help translate critical public health messages, into work that will engage and inform people across different cultures, languages, communities and platforms.

At Brandwidth we were compelled to provide a response and we designed a simple but strong concept: Be Like Pete the Pigeon, to demonstrate the key message of Physical Distancing.

We’re delighted to say that our work is now featured in the United Nations Covid-19 Response Creative Content Hub, trending in the ‘most popular’ category and being used by others to spread clear and positive messages around physical distancing!

Whats the story behind the creative?

Pigeons are and always have been intrinsically good at physical distancing – they always keep well away from people. As cities around the globe are in various stages of lockdown there will be a need to exercise physical distancing for a fair while longer. And as we know that physical distancing is more of a challenge and necessity in built up areas like cities, the pigeon reference is relatable in many regions.

One key audience that needs to understand the meaning of distancing are younger children, aged 10 and under. So, we created a series of illustrations and animated clips, that bring to life the lessons children can learn: keep your distance from strangers and staying close to family when outside.

We’re encouraging children to be more like Pete the Pigeon and each scene has a rhyming line that children can memorise and repeat to their family and friends.

Spread the word

We’ve designed a series of simple illustrations and illustrations people can download share, a shareable iMessage sticker pack app and even made Minecraft Pete!

Pete the Pigeon and all the creative work on the hub is free to share and available in multiple creative formats and languages – so feel free to spread the message wide and far and be like Pete the Pigeon. He’s coo coo cool. And he knows physical distancing like the back of his claw.