Kevin Bacon and McCann team up on effort to help end COVID-19 spread

On Wednesday, actor Kevin Bacon posted a video on Facebook announcing the launch of a social media push aimed at ending the spread of COVID-19, and according to an internal memo obtained by Campaign US, the initiative was created in partnership with McCann.

The note, sent by McCann North America president Devika Bulchandani, explains to staff that the agency is "launching a very simple idea to help spread awareness."

"It’s called #IStayHomeFor – and the idea is simple," the note reads. "We’re asking people to post an image or video to their social channels of themselves at home holding up the name of a person they want to keep safe. It could be your mom, your grandparents, your cousin, or a friend. It could be the health workers and others on the front lines of the fight."

The memo adds: "And we reached out to the actor Kevin Bacon – the man famous for being ‘six degrees of separation’ from everyone in America – to work with us to launch the #IStayHomeFor campaign to promote sheltering in place."

Since the 90s, people have been playing the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game, which challenges players to connect any movie star to the iconic actor. 

Bacon himself kicked off the campaign by saying he’ll stay home for fellow celebs Jimmy Fallon, Brandi Carlile, Kevin Hart, Demi Lovato, David Beckham and Elton John. 

Bulchandani explains in the email to staff that the agency wants to make this "a real movement," so it’s encouraging everyone to regram, retweet and share Bacon’s video on Facebook, while also telling the world who they are staying home for in their own video or photo. Participants are encouraged to share on their own social channels with the hashtag and tag six of their friends.

Additionally, Bulchandani asks participants not to call out any specific medical ailments, capture the images in their homes, shoot the video vertically or in selfie mode, and hold a sign with the hashtag.