HOW do we wage propaganda war against invisible invaders, as Dr Christer Mari Taclobos messaged me? Dr. CM is a frontliner taking the bullets of Covid -19 for my family. Probably, a good answer would be to catch the imagination of the public in time of war.
No less than the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres declared “We are living in a war situation with this virus, we need to deal with it with a war economy.”
Yet a war cannot be waged without propaganda to rally the frontliners and home front to the common cause.
In the last World War, we saw Allied forces mainly of the US, UK, the Soviet Union, waged war against the Axis forces consisting mainly of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allied forces used their propaganda posters aimed to influence citizens to enlist in the military, buy war bonds, join the workforce, and sacrifice in ways that many people in the US, Australia, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere wildly successful in building national pride and support for the war effort.
On the other hand, the Axis powers have the Italian name “Roberto,” from the initials of “Roma,” “BERlin” and “TOkyo”), were the nations that fought in World War II against the Allies. The Axis powers agreed on their opposition to the Allies, but did not completely coordinate their activity.
Now the former enemies have linked arms to defeat the unseen enemies. Now this time we see more coordination. We read the same messages. That means government spending will be for the war efforts to defeat the common enemy.
Special initiatives are being formulated to try to “silence the guns” of war around the world, as “there is only one war that is needed—it’s a war against the virus.”
Guterres raised the fear factor: “If we don’t tackle the Covid-19 crisis millions of people could be infected and die.” He warned that the crisis will be much more serious if there is no strategy or coordination. There were more than 450,000 cases of Covid-19 confirmed worldwide, with more than 20,000 deaths. And it is not only breaking the curve of the virus that should be at the forefront of global efforts, he said, but to also seize the dramatic situation “as an opportunity” to create an economy that is more inclusive and sustainable going forward.
In the 21st century, the corporate world has joined the propaganda fray. A fast food chain declared to promote social distancing has the hashtag “separated for a moment to always be together.”
Or a beverage drink “Staying apart is the best way to stay united.”
Then there this “We stay home!” National slogan of Greece against coronavirus outbreak spread light in darkness.
Then in the Philippine, we get this lengthy slogan, “In times of social isolation and fear, it’s human connection, acts of love, and comfort food that will get us through it.”