The Met of Masks: The Met Gala and COVID-19

Instagram x Met Gala Class of ‘21 Photo. PHOTO: RAVEN B VARON

Written by: Wyatt Whitaker

What is The Met Gala?

The Met Gala is an annual star-studded event that occurs historically during the first Monday in May. The gala is a fundraiser benefiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. To say that this is a very see and be seen kind of event would be putting it mildly to say the least. A ticket back in the days of the gala’s inception cost around $1000. Today, tickets boast a whopping $30,000 price tag. Even if you pay the money, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be in attendance as Anna Wintour, Gala Chair and Editor in Chief of Vogue Magazine, has the final say on who will be in attendance. 

A Year on The Sidelines

Last year's Met Gala was sidelined due to the global Coronavirus pandemic as well as New York City’s Covid-19 regulations during May of 2020. This year however, the gala committee decided to host two separate events. The first one took place on the evening of September 13, 2021 and the second will be taking place during its normal slot on the evening of May 2, 2022. 

For the sake of this blog post, I will be discussing the first Met Gala hosted just last month. An important thing to know about the Met Gala is that it’s theme changes every year and no two themes are the same or are even remotely close. This year's theme was, “America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and in short, emphasizes American independence according to Vanity Fair. There was a star studded list of attendees. Both newbies and veterans hit the red carpet sporting some both classic and questionable looks. Stars like Karlie Kloss, Timothee Chalamet, and Kendall Jenner were voted among some of the best looks of the night. While stars like A$AP Rocky, Kim Kardashian, and Pete Davidson sported some jaw droppingly questionable looks. 

Covid-19 

This year's event was different in comparison to Gala’s of years past, with a number of celebrities who are notoriously in attendance, not present. According to event organizers, “All attendees at The Met Gala on September 13 must provide proof of full vaccination and will also be expected to wear masks indoors except when eating and drinking” (People, 2021). With these policies in place, some stars opted out of the event. Nicki Minaj, for example, used her platform to question these practices tweeting, “They want you to get vaccinated for The Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t be for The Met…” This turned into political chaos as people began to disapprove of Minaj’s skepticism towards the Covid-19 vaccine, as well as masses accusing the star of spreading misinformation.

While these events are a star studded affair, these guidelines were implemented for the safety of all attendee’s. In a year like last year, there was no social season. Taking a risk by cutting the size of the gala in half and having it twice in one year was a good decision on behalf of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vogue Magazine. I can’t wait to see what takes place in May!

PR & COVID-19

Written by: Gabi Morales

Covid-19 changed so much about the retail industry, causing countless stores to close their doors, factories and production. Overwhelmed by announcements from nearly every company, good news stood out among the sea of negativity. Companies like L.L. Bean and Ulta came up with creative ways to help their local communities, employees and customers during an otherwise tough situation.

Good ideas don’t come along very often, but when they do, they’re worth spreading. Many PR professionals put in countless hours trying to come up with ideas to help their brand image during the pandemic. L.L. Bean, an outdoor company based in Maine, responded to the COVID-19 outbreak in a very positive and uplifting way, greatly benefiting their corporate image. In March, L.L. Bean had to shut down their stores for two weeks, taking a big loss in sales, however, they didn’t let that stop them from making a difference in the local community. In an Instagram post, L.L. Bean shared how they altered one of their shipping facilities into a distribution center for food for local Maine residents. L.L. Bean partnered with Good Shepherd Food Bank to provide food to locals who were in need of the support. This partnership not only helped the community, but it kept their warehouse employees, truck drivers and countless others employed during a time of mass layoffs. In another Instagram post, L.L. Bean shared their commitment to the health and safety of medical professionals. They converted their Brunswick, Maine factory that normally makes Bean Boots into a mask making operation, hoping to make around 10,000 masks a day. 

They weren’t the only company that decided to help healthcare workers. Ulta, the beauty retailer, decided to lend a hand as well, but in their own unique way. Ulta is known for their wide variety of beauty products and services, with many locations offering a full salon. They decided to offer a special deal to medical professionals as a thank you for their tireless efforts to thwart the virus. In a letter released on May 11th, the Ulta CEO, Mary Dillon, offered a half off a haircut and style to all healthcare workers with a valid I.D. This may seem like a trivial thing to worry about during a global pandemic, but healthcare workers deserve to take time for themselves and be taken care of as well. This was a unique way for a beauty company to make a difference in many lives, while their image benefited from the good deed. Seeing how different companies used their skills and resources to come together and help fight the virus was very inspiring. 

Another way many companies either boosted or harmed their corporate image was shown in how they treated their employees during the shutdown. During the pandemic and initial shut down, many hourly workers lost their jobs. I kept reading about how callous some companies were in this process of laying off their employees; from mass emails to mass Zoom calls, people had their jobs taken from them in heartless ways. I decided to seek out and support companies that treated their employees well during this hard time. Companies like Ulta, L.L. Bean, DSW, and Bath & Body Works kept their employees on payroll during the nationwide quarantine. Several companies kept their employees paid as long as they fiscally could, but eventually they ran out of funds when business dropped off. However, seeing and hearing about the businesses that treated their employees well shaped their image more than any ad campaign ever could — this is the difference PR professionals can make.

Coronavirus taught many people how to slow down, enjoy time at home and maybe even make some sourdough bread; businesses learned just as much. They learned how to bolster their image by treating employees with respect when the eyes of the nation were on them and to commit to community outreach to help the surrounding residents and hospitals in need. Understanding how companies responded to COVID-19 showed their true colors and what they value as a company. Whether it was a PR publicity stunt or a kind gesture, these acts of selflessness by companies will carry on longer than any short-term profit ever will.

COVID 19 Response: How Celebrities and Influencers are Shaping the Narrative

Written by: Kate Matthews

How many social media platforms are you on? Maybe you’re on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or TikTok - or all five! 

How many hours a day do you spend on each social media platform? 

What if you compared your usage now to three months ago?  

Chances are, you’ve spent significantly more time on Facebook and Instagram than you did in January. Whether it’s to look for updates on your state’s safety requirements, or to watch the latest quarantine cat video on YouTube (with ads from brands promoting public health and safety, of course), consumers are scrolling through socials at a higher rate because of COVID-19. (For more information, check out this link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1106766/media-consumption-growth-coronavirus-worldwide-by-country/) 

And celebrities and influencers on these platforms are taking advantage of the increased time you are spending on there. So, how are these influencers shaping the narrative on COVID-19? 

A few talk show hosts are providing comedic relief and an uplifting message to audiences through relatable content. Jimmy Fallon, the host of late night talk show The Tonight Show, has been collaborating with various celebrities (and his adorable family) to produce content for YouTube. A few notable videos include an interview with John Legend, a coronavirus-inspired song from Bon Jovi, and an original quarantine song from Adam Sandler. Ellen Degeneres, the host of The Ellen Degeneres Show, has been posting funny content on Instagram. She’s also posted more serious videos reminding fans of the importance of social distancing and staying safe in public. The majority of her content is meant to give audiences a distraction from the sadness and craziness of the world. Her videos chronicle her struggles with a 4,000 piece puzzle, conversations with notable celebrities, and a tribute to essential workers. 

Other influencers are setting the best example they can by posting from home. Celebrities like Ariana Grande (@arianagrande), Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) and Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) are posting photos of family and pets and filming video challenges sparked by COVID-19, such as the #SafeHands challenge and the #Allin challenge. 

No matter the platform, celebrities and influencers are trying their best to maintain a positive approach to the global pandemic in order to keep audiences feeling calm and safe. They are shaping the narrative by posting uplifting and comedic photos and videos that help fans take their minds off of COVID-19, even if it’s only for a few minutes. As consumers, these influencers inspire us to remain calm and informed about COVID-19. The content we see reminds us to focus on the good things in life and to be joyfully expectant of the day the world gets back to “normal.” 

Image source: (I took a screenshot of a video, so here’s the video link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQl6Pt-654&list=PLykzf464sU98lwxyHHBqnqx-r0xtOMLjt&index=93 

Author: Kate Matthews