Lending their names and brands to a new series of personalised face-masks, chart-topping artists such as Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and the estates of Frank Sinatra and Bob Marley, are the latest public figures to do their bit amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Costing $15 a piece, the face masks have been designed and manufactured by Bravado – merchandise and marketing department of Universal Music Group (UMG) – and present bespoke designs featuring the names of multiple bands and musicians. Incorporated within Bravado’s new We’ve Got You Covered initiative, proceeds from the sale of each mask will go to the charity MusiCares, an organisation designed to assist those in need within the music industry.
First announced on their Twitter page on April 24th, the masks were unveiled alongside a four-second video cycling through every available design, with a capitalised declaration that 100% of NET PROCEEDS TO CHARITY. They quickly gained attention, being reported on by various major publications such as Variety, who had this to say about the new product:
Billie, Bieber and Beyond: @UMG's merchandise division Bravado is launching "We've Got You Covered," a line of artist-branded face masks. https://t.co/XLlOOmWBBj
— Variety (@Variety) April 24, 2020
But the idea that style and functionality could come together in one harmonious, healthy package has proven somewhat too good to be true. Though the masks can be washed and reused, We’ve Got You Covered did emphatically stress that these items are more accessories than PPE or medical items.
For the avoidance of doubt, a statement on their website read, the use of cloth face masks does not protect you against COVID-19.
Nevertheless, the organisation can’t be shamed for not pulling their weight. We’ve Got You Covered will reportedly be providing 50,000 masks to a numerous community service providers all over America, following the lead of other major companies to donate their wares to those on the front line.
Luxury brands such as Burberry and Mulberry have utilised their manufacturing facilities to produce PPE equipment for essential workers – with the latter brand having converted its handbag factory in Somerset to produce 8,000 surgical gowns for NHS workers in Bristol – while the Prada Group last month declared in a company statement that it has donated two complete intensive care and resuscitation units each to Milan’s hospitals of Vittore Buzzi, Sacco and San Raffaele.
