COVID-19 infection rates climbed rapidly at the start of last year and, in March 2021, the Norwegian infection count reached its peak during the pandemic so far. It was therefore crucial that the infection control measures reached the entire population. At the time, nearly half of those testing positive in Norway had a foreign background. COVID-19 struck unevenly and highlighted imbalances in the Norwegian population. Those who have been hit the hardest were born in Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq, Turkey and Afghanistan, while Poland has been one of the major countries bringing the virus into Norway.
Together with the media agency Mindshare and the Norwegian Directorate of Health, Schibsted Partnerstudio wanted to strengthen communication aimed at the immigrant communities that were hit the hardest, to limit social gatherings and reduce the infection rate.
The communication was intended to:
- Reassure the population that it was OK to say no to meeting up.
- Provide the population with good reasons to refrain from social gatherings.