NY Gov. Cuomo Announces a Competition for New Yorkers To Produce an Ad Encouraging People To Wear Masks

EXCERPT:

CUOMO: "I said from day one, I can give the facts to New Yorkers but then New Yorkers have to decide to agree that it makes sense given the facts and agree to do it. And New Yorkers have agreed to do it. All of these things; closing schools, closing businesses, stay at home, socially distancing. So now we wear a mask. As I said last night I don’t understand why this wear a mask is so hard. Mariah (ph) suggested that it may be the way I am communicating it. I am just not effectively communicated it. Don't laugh. Well first of all, this is a common refrain in my house from my daughters, that it's me and my lack of ability to communicate effectively. It's a fair statement. And I am guilty. I have no doubt I am guilty. I am a bad communicator. And that I haven't been communicating the rationale for wearing a mask effectively. So I am open minded, I understand my weaknesses and my flaws. I am a work in progress. We are all a work in progress, I am trying to get better. So Mariah’s suggestion is look, why don’t we ask New Yorkers to produce and add that the state could run on explaining to New Yorkers why they should wear a mask. And the context and the rational and the health reasons and the social responsibility and it's not that big of a deal. Maybe there is a better way to communicate than I have been communicating it. Again, 99 percent of the people are doing it and it's great. We are talking about that 1 percent. So maybe I just haven't been persuasive or effective enough in my communication skills. So I said to Mariah, great idea. We’ll ask New Yorkers to produce an ad, 30-second ad. They submitted. Mariah's going to be an unofficial adviser with the Department of Health, pick the five best, put them online, let New Yorkers pick the best ad. The state will run that ad."