Jason Voorhees and his signature hockey mask have petrified moviegoers for decades in the Friday the 13th film franchise.
The chainsaw wielding madman served as the inspiration for a new public service announcement encouraging people to wear protective face masks during the coronavirus crisis.
In the PSA released by Ogilvy Health in June, a character resembling the horror villain admits that ‘a mask kind of makes people uncomfortable’ but ends up sporting a medical mask over his hockey mask in the end.
Safety first: An advertising agency released a new PSA starring Jason Voohees, the hockey mask wearing villain from Friday the 13th, in an effort to get young people to wear protective masks to ward off coronavirus
‘It’s not easy,’ the Jason-esque character says in a voice over while sitting on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
As he walks through New York City, passersby are startled and scared by his appearance and run away.
‘A mask kind of makes people uncomfortable. I wish everyone could see me for who I am … just trying to fit in,’ the voice over continues, making a quip about the whole ‘chainsaw’ thing.
A little girl then approaches ‘Jason’ and hand’s him a medical face mask, nodding her approval from the requisite six-feet required to social distance.
Getting creative: The chainsaw wielding madman served as the inspiration for the PSA which is aimed at getting young people, in particular, to take mask wearing seriously
‘A mask kind of makes people uncomfortable. I wish everyone could see me for who I am … just trying to fit in,’ the voice over continues, making a quip about the whole ‘chainsaw’ thing
Tough: ‘Jason’ makes his way through NYC, scarring people off with his appearance
Eventually, a young girl welcomes into the mask-wearing fold, offering him a medical mask before retreating to a socially distant space.
The video ends with words flashing on the screen: ‘Wearing a mask can be scary / Not wearing one can be deadly’
In the caption of the video, which Ogilvy Health posted on Instagram, the advertising agency explained that they created the video to help convince young people to wear masks.
Behind the video: In the caption of the video, which Ogilvy Health posted on Instagram, the advertising agency explained that they created the video to help convince young people to wear masks
‘Wearing a mask has proven to be an easy and important way to stem the spread of the #coronavirus, yet many New Yorkers still aren’t doing it,’ they penned. ‘This is especially true of younger people who may feel invincible to #Covid19.’
‘Wearing a mask has proven to be an easy and important way to stem the spread of the #coronavirus, yet many New Yorkers still aren’t doing it,’ they penned. ‘This is especially true of younger people who may feel invincible to #Covid19.’
The company decided that the best way to connect with young people was to ‘tap into pop culture and entertain them.’
Adding: ‘Don’t preach. Don’t fear-monger. Do the opposite. Make them smile, engage and share with their peers.’
Helping hand: Eventually, a young girl welcomes into the mask-wearing fold, offering him a medical mask before retreating to a socially distant space
The video ends with words flashing on the screen: ‘Wearing a mask can be scary / Not wearing one can be deadly’
Smart thinking: The company decided that the best way to connect with young people was to ‘tap into pop culture and entertain them’
Jason Voorhees is one of the most recognizable characters in horror – in the vein of Michael Meyers and Freddy Krueger.
He is the main character in the popular Friday the 13th slasher films. The first in the 12 film franchise premiered in 1980 and was a box office hit, grossing $59.8 million worldwide.
In the films, Jason drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake and his spirit cursed the late for decades.
The last Jason film, titled Friday the 13th, came out in 2009.
Horror show! Jason Voorhees is one of the most recognizable characters in horror and is the main character in the popular Friday the 13th slasher films, a 2 film franchise that premiered in 1980 (Friday The 13Th Part VIII – Jason Takes Manhattan 1989)