The COVID-19 global pandemic outbreak that overwhelmed the world in 2020 represents one of the major global health crises of the 21st century primarily due to the extensive human-to-human transmission. According to the Global Risks Report (2022), the large-scale COVID-19 threat elicited important tensions that might contribute to an unexpected and cascading impacts in various sectors and World Health Organization called for global solidarity and immediate cooperation since January 2020. SARS-CoV-2 virus of about only 120 nm in diameter, that is at the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, remains invisible to people whose inner states and conducts are driven primarily by subjective representations. Indeed, mass media that underpin the collective construction of reality aim to communicate various information, visual images, beliefs and conducts to the general population. Thus, mass media contribute significantly to construct collectively shared representations of the invisible SARS-CoV-2 virus. The objective of the current research was to investigate the influence of the common COVID-19 mass media image of the “ball with spikes” that symbolically depicts SARS-CoV-2 virus by an original mixed methods research design. The current research protocol combines research questionnaires (N = 144), pictographic measures and semi-structured research interviews (N = 26). The main results demonstrate that 59% of participants’ representations are elicited by the mass media image of the “ball with spikes”. This image that symbolically depicts the COVID-19 virus arouses dangerousness due to its warrior symbolism and multidirectional spikes, tainted by mystery and divisive aesthetic. Therefore, the current findings irrevocably contribute to highlight the socially constructed shared perception of SARS-CoV-2 virus underpinned by visual symbols diffused through mass media. Additionally, these scientific results might provide relevant supplementary elements to contribute to an improved crisis communication effectiveness during future pandemic outbreaks and other large-scale crises.