As the COVID-19 pandemic raged through New York City in spring 2020, the Health Department worked tirelessly to stop the spread and to get information to New Yorkers. During that first terrible wave—and throughout 2020—frontline workers in healthcare and many other fields were heroic in their efforts to treat the sick and keep New York running. In addition to delivering all of the needed public health information to New Yorkers, the Health Department wanted to lift up, and show appreciation for, the most vulnerable workers on the front lines of the crisis: bus and subway drivers; grocery store cashiers; delivery, sanitation, and healthcare workers; and the researchers, lab technicians, and public health community workers all pulling together to fight the pandemic. The ad campaign “Thank You COVID-19 Heroes” launched in July.

The campaign was inspired by the risks so many diverse New York City workers take on behalf of our city and a desire to lift their spirits as they continued to do their work. Our graphic artist depicted an array of these essential workers in the style of superhero illustration. Heroes appeared on billboards, digital out of home, transit station ads, handpainted building murals, and newspaper ads.

This work not only lifted spirits of New York City’s essential and front-line workers, it cheered on the Health Department as they managed policies, programs, communications, and other coordinated efforts to fight for the health of New Yorkers throughout 2020. In addition to the ads, the Health Department commissioned a few additional portraits of its own individual heroes.