Jon Snow hopes Channel 4 #StayAtHome campaign ‘will reach young audience’
The Channel 4 News presenter features in the #StayAtHome campaign in a video that shows him ironing his colourful ties.
Jon Snow has said that he hopes Channel 4 will be able to use its popularity among younger viewers to help persuade them to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Channel 4 News presenter features in the broadcaster’s new #StayAtHome campaign – along with famous faces such as Katherine Ryan, Big Narstie and Joe Lycett.
Snow said that messaging around social distancing and staying at home had to be “accessible” to the young.
He told the PA news agency that while he was out exercising on his bike, “it became quite clear that the people you saw hanging around were predominantly young and male, although there were women as well”.
“I felt that any messaging had to be accessible to them and perhaps even using humour and everything else to sell it,” he added.
The campaign features a short clip of Snow at home ironing his vast collection of colourful ties.
He added: “We have a remarkably high demography among 20 to 30-year-olds and possibly even younger than that, which I regard as a bit of an honour in a way.
“I feel if you can communicate about serious things on Channel 4 News I can communicate with them by other mechanisms, possibly deploying humour at times to get through to them on different matters.”
Snow said he has been largely stuck in his own home for five weeks as he was forced to self-isolate before the lockdown after visiting Iran in February to cover the country’s election.
“It is being added to because I am 72 and I therefore go above the level for having to stay at home and so I suppose I know a little bit about what it’s like,” he said.
Other clips that will feature in the television campaign include rapper Big Narstie mowing the lawn, comedian Ryan appearing to paint a self-portrait and Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt pairing her socks.
Zaid Al-Qassab, Channel 4’s chief marketing officer, said: “TV has a hugely important role to play at this time of national crisis and we hope this campaign, starring some of our most-loved talent and with its typically irreverent Channel 4 approach will reinforce this vital public health message to stay at home and help save lives, particularly among our key young male viewers.”
Channel 4 has said that the campaign is particularly aimed at young male viewers.
The broadcaster has also introduced a graphic urging people to stay at home that is visible across their channels.
