How Cities are Providing COVID-19 PSAs and Health Updates with Neighborhood Signs
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving public health crisis, with new measures and responses put into place almost hourly. During this time, cities need a way to reach their constituents with PSAs and updates in real time.
Cities are posting new PSAs and updates instantly
Soofa provides cities with a tool that, in times of emergency, allows for both flexible and instantaneous messages. We are working with government partners to design specific COVID-19 PSA templates, which can be easily adapted to post new updates regarding school closures, canceled events, transportation disruptions, relief fund options, and general public health guidelines.
The Town of Brookline, MA uses Soofa Signs to post specific updates about school and playground closures, while the City of Somerville, MA is redirecting people to their official Coronavirus webpage for more detailed information.
Local cities are also adapting the language of their messaging to their constituents to make it accessible to more people: the City of Everett, MA is displaying their updates in both English and Spanish, and the City of Malden, MA has posted content in Chinese.
During this public health crisis, Soofa has committed to increasing the share of voice for city partners so that government PSAs are shown more frequently on the Signs.
The screen format has also been altered to display a live feed of the cities’ Twitter accounts.
A trusted platform for city updates that pedestrians can use
Walking outside has become an important source of physical activity and movement that still maintains safe social distances. Soofa provides a trusted communication platform in the real world, outside of digital channels, that people can see as they are going out for a breath of fresh air or walking around their neighborhoods. Pedestrian Sensors inside Soofa Signs provide valuable data insights for city partners to show how people’s movement has changed during this public health crisis.
Amplifying community voices & sharing positive messaging
Subscriptions to Soofa’s Local Business plan have been opened up to neighborhood businesses for free to provide a platform for small business owners to advertise their takeout and delivery services, online offerings, or gift cards.
Soofa has also created community templates that anyone can use to share messages of gratitude, positivity, and solidarity.
Community members use these templates to thank nurses and healthcare staff, to spread some love to local grocery store workers, and to show their support for local businesses in their neighborhoods. In a time when many feel distant, Soofa Signs are a platform for neighbors to share encouragement and strength and to connect with one another in the real world.
