‘PS Keeping You Safe’ Campaign Begun

PALM SPRINGS — From the onset of COVID-19 in March in this tourist destination, city leaders have taken precautions, sometimes seemingly harsh, to keep this community safe. Today, nearly six months later, as the virus continues its grip, leaders are doubling down with a new, $21,300 “PS Keeping You Safe” campaign.

The campaign leaves no doubt with either residents or visitors where the city stands on face-coverings— both indoors and outdoors.

The Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, P.S. Resorts, the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and an anonymous donor contributed about $17,000 to the campaign, Communications Director told Uken Report.

The city contributed $2,700 for signs in English and Spanish tied around street poles throughout downtown and other parts of the City — and about $1,600 for two large banners at Palm Canyon and Alejo and Palm Canyon and Ramon. Money that the city contributed can be refunded through COVID relief funds, Blaisdell said.

The city has also put up several electronic message signs.

The highly visible public education campaign titled “PS Keeping You Safe,” comprised of billboards, oversized poster signs and banners, in both English and Spanish, has recently been implemented throughout the community in partnership with tourism and business leaders, including the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and P.S. Resorts.

Twenty-five oversized poster signs have been strategically placed throughout downtown along with four billboards installed at key gateway entry points on Interstate 10, Gene Autry Trail, Dinah Shore Drive and on Highway 111. The posters and billboards alert residents and visitors that face coverings are a must, both indoors and outdoors.

In addition, the city recently installed several hundred zip signs tied around poles in the downtown corridor, two large banners overhead along Palm Canyon Drive, several electronic message boards noting face coverings are required. The city also partnered with NBC Palm Springs and “Manny the Movie Guy” to film a public service announcement in both English and Spanish, currently airing on NBC and Univision.

“We are committed to the health and safety of our residents, tourists, team members and guests and that is why we partnered with the City and other tourism and business leaders to implement this new awareness campaign, particularly in the heavily visited downtown corridor,” Aftab Dada, chairman of P.S. Resorts, said in a prepared statement. P.S. Resorts is a consortium of large hoteliers, who helped pay for the campaign.

“With the combination of billboards and large signs, no one can miss the message that we mean business about wearing your mask,” said Jeffrey Bernstein, owner of Destination PSP, who also assisted with the campaign. “That is why we’re proud to support this public service messaging because it is vital to the health and safety of the community we love.

“Ensuring residents and visitors are educated about the need to wear face coverings when in public is one of the City Council’s top priorities as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Mayor Pro Tem Christy Holstege said in a prepared statement. Holstege teamed with Mayor Geoff Kors and the group of leaders developing the campaign’s messaging.

“On behalf of our citizens, a big thank you to our local tourism and business partners for stepping up to the plate to help the city implement this important awareness campaign,” Kors said in a prepared statement. “It’s just another terrific example of how PS is keeping you safe!”