In Florida, quarantine started for some on March 17, when Governor DeSantis ordered all bars, nightclubs, and schools to close. The official stay-at-home order was issued from April 1st to May 4th, excluding Miami-Dade and Broward counties until May 18th. Some people are currently still self-quarantining. During this time, a lot of television has been watched and with that comes inventive commercials reflecting the world’s circumstances.
Nike always has attention grabbing commercials. Narrated by Megan Rapinoe, this commercial is the third installment of their “You Can’t Stop Us” campaign. The overall campaign is focused on using sports as inspiration. This commercial aired with the return of the NBA season, which is being played in the Disney bubble as a result of Covid-19. By combing through more than 4,000 pieces of footage, editors were able to pair different athletes together on a split-screen based on their shared movements. This ad went viral on social media and currently has over 58 million views on YouTube. As the world is adjusting to the “New Normal”, this commercial encourages us to adjust the same way our favorite athletes have.
https://news.nike.com/news/watch-nike-you-can-t-stop-us-film
Uber’s “Thank You For Not Riding” campaign hit home with a lot of people. This installment was created by multiple filmmakers videoing their lives at home. It shows everyone working from home and taking of their families. Many people could relate to this new reality. Ultimately, Uber was thanking people for not using their services. People perceive advertisements as a push to buy a product; Uber was asking consumers to not buy their product. Their goal was to align themselves with helping stop the spread of Covid-19, along with their charitable efforts of providing free rides and food deliveries to healthcare professionals and vulnerable persons.
https://www.wk.com/work/uber-thank-you-for-not-riding/
In a similar style to Uber, Frito-Lay released an anti-ad commercial. Frito-Lay’s commercial is part of their “It’s About People” campaign. Some companies jumped on the Covid-19 train, using current events to push their products. Frito-Lay was instead saying how they were helping their consumers. They created jobs, placed donations, provided meals, and provided funding for Covid-19 tests. It’s nice to see a brand taking social responsibility in today’s world.
https://www.fritolay.com/action-covid
Today’s consumers are more likely to align themselves with brands that are ethical and take social responsibility. Brands with authentic personalities are more likely to have loyal customers. These commercials are great examples of brands that were not monetizing Covid-19, but instead attempting to make a difference.
Sources:
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/03/20/timeline-the-spread-of-coronavirus-in-florida/
https://news.nike.com/news/watch-nike-you-can-t-stop-us-film
https://www.wk.com/work/uber-thank-you-for-not-riding/
https://www.fritolay.com/action-covid
