Youth awareness against COVID-19 in Spain and latin America: Analysis of spots on Youtube

Introduction. The socio-health and economic consequences of COVID-19 led countries to adopt preventive communication strategies, broadcasted on social media to enhance their exposure. This research examines Spanish and Latin American spots (N=100) that aim at raising awareness among young people about COVID-19 and that were published between 1 September 2020 and 10 January 2021 on YouTube. Methodology. The methodology is mixed: Qualitative, by analyzing communicative, technical-narrative, and affective-emotional variables; and quantitative, with a descriptive analysis of the data followed by variance analysis to identify differences in both contents. Results. Sixty-nine percent of the spots magnify the risks, 49% foster the subjects’ identification with what is being told, 33% encourage reflection when faced with a critical situation, and 31% frighten them with the death of relatives. Spanish stories seek to avoid events/parties, promote the use of masks and comply with all health regulations. Latin American ones emphasize social distance, hygiene habits, and adherence to quarantine rules. Spain prioritizes attitude-based stories aimed at modifying behaviors, while Latin America prioritizes procedure-based stories by showing healthy practices. Anonymous citizens, people affected by the virus, singers or health professionals, aged 18 to 35, starred in the Spanish stories, while communicators, soccer players, or famous personalities, aged 35 to 65, starred in the Latin American ones. Conclusions. The cultural factors shared between Spain and Latin America are reflected in the homogeneity of the narratives regarding affective-emotional variables. Youth portrayal is polarized: Either positive models are emphasized, or rule-breakers are highlighted.