As the COVID vaccine continues to roll out across the country, it’s essential to remind people that wearing face masks is still necessary to help keep the virus at bay. The new vaccine might prevent people from getting sick, but it’s unknown whether it can prevent the virus from spreading to others.  

WarnerMedia, the Ad Council and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are hoping to drive the mask-wearing message to audiences both young and old with a new spot that uses classic characters in scenes from popular films in the WarnerMedia universe.

The 30-second PSA features memorable moments from WarnerMedia films, played out with one caveat—all the characters are wearing masks, no matter the circumstances. Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort wear masks during their final battle in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”; Pennywise from “It” sports a smiling clown mask as a red balloon floats in front of him; and the Joker dances in the popular stair scene from the “The Joker” with a mask that matches his suit. We also see Dr. Evil from “Goldmember,” Rick and Ilsa from “Casablanca” and Wonder Woman from “Wonder Woman,” among other familiar characters.

The scenes are interspersed with text overlaid against images of an American flag, reading: “Let’s get back to doing our favorite things, whatever that might be. Slow the spread. Mask up America.” At the end, we see Harley Quinn from “Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey.” She might be hanging off a roof, but she’s still wearing her mask.

The PSA is running in donated media time across the country and is free for use by broadcast and digital news outlets. WarnerMedia is running the spot across its own TV and digital channels and platforms, including HBO, Turner, Rooster Teeth, Crunchy Roll, Bleacher Report, Xandr, and AT&T televisions, as well on its own social media channels.  

“WarnerMedia is proud to help educate and inform our fans about the importance of mask wearing during this pandemic,” says Dennis Williams, senior VP of corporate social responsibility at WarnerMedia. “Wearing a mask is an effective way to protect ourselves and our loved-ones from COVID-19. We hope that by seeing some of our favorite heroes and characters masked up, our fans will follow suit. Mask wearing is a simple step we all can take to show up and support our communities during this difficult time.”

The spot was created pro bono by WarnerMedia Studios’ in-house creative agency 10th Street Productions. It’s part of the Ad Council’s ongoing “Mask Up America” campaign that began in July 2020 in partnership with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. To date, the campaign has brought in $4.3 million in donated, earned and shared media and more than 154 million impressions across TV, digital and social media.

The “Mask Up” campaign is part of The Ad Council’s ongoing awareness efforts to educate Americans on the coronavirus pandemic. Since March 2020, the organization has reached 39 billion impressions with $434 million in donated, earned and shared media.

“We are so grateful to the WarnerMedia team for their commitment to educating Americans on the importance of wearing a face mask to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19,” says Lisa Sherman, president and chief executive officer of the Ad Council. “We know that face masks continue to be one of the most effective ways we can protect ourselves against the virus and we’re truly grateful to Warner for lending their talent and iconic films to support to this critical message.”