Annie Atkins creates a series of fake Public Health Service posters to lift our spirits during lockdown

"Smile on your neighbour" and "Now is not the time to text your ex" – these are some of the cheerful posters featuring "virus slogans" by Dublin-based designer Annie Atkins, a kind of fake public health service broadcast to cheer us up during lockdown and remind us to stay home.

It's a collaborative effort where she asks her followers on Instagram for their favourite bits of advice. "I'm drawing up the best ones," Annie tells Creative Boom. "The lettering is intentionally awkward-looking as I love that cheap, charming style, but it also helps me churn them out quite quickly!"

There's certainly a vintage feel to them, perhaps the kind of posters people saw during World War Two to remind them we're "all in this together", encouraging us to make a collective effort to fight back and get through challenging times.

"My favourite tip so far is to re-read your favourite book, as there's nothing more comforting," Annie continues. "Some advice is quite funny, but it all rings true."

When she has a "good selection", Annie plans to pick a selection to be screen-printed and sold to raise funds for the hospice that looked after her mum last month. "Like so many places, they rely mostly on donations from the public, and we couldn't have asked for better care. My heart is with the families who are now losing people at a distance. We need to all keep doing our bit and stay at home."

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