Genuine or Opportunistic? An Advertiser’s Guide to the COVID Era and Beyond

Aril 27, 2020

It’s everywhere

As if the news wasn’t enough, consumers are also being bombarded with communications on the pandemic from their favorite brands. From heartfelt letters from the CEO in our inbox to emotional video montages of healthcare workers set to sentimental piano music—every touchpoint has been covered. I’ve cried, I’ve felt hopeful for the future, I've felt grateful for the good people doing good things in this world. But there are times where I’ve also felt downright uncomfortable at some of the cringe-worthy, lackluster attempts of some that are trying to capitalize on a global hardship. You’re probably thinking, “Welcome to advertising, sweetheart!”; but I truly believe in a more genuine approach. Yes, it’s nuanced, but certainly not impossible.

The new age of consumer

The “woke” generation has found its voice over the last few years and has become increasingly more influential in culture and society as a whole. One of the many lessons we have learned from this group is to question everything. The days of sitting back and accepting “the way things are” are over. This means that everything in the public domain is being analyzed by a more aware audience.

Let’s go back to the “before times.” Remember that Peloton ad that ran last winter? This was a perfect example of how a seemingly harmless premise in the pitch room became an absolute disaster. The difference between inspiring and tone-deaf came down to a few key execution decisions. Obviously, the COVID pandemic is entirely different from this situation—entirely different from any we’ve ever seen, in fact—but what I’m saying is that this audience is paying attention, and they can detect even the slightest disingenuous intention.

Be honest, what are your motivations?

Traditionally, the most common incentives for advertising are to stay relevant, sell product, and perpetuate strong brand values. But in a global crisis, the focus should be a priority to benefit others. If you happen to achieve one or more of your original goals as a result, kudos to you, but if that hierarchy is flipped, it’s painfully obvious and you’ll lose all integrity. Take Uber’s Thank You For Not Riding ad. They’re urging the public to do the right thing for the safety of humanity, which in turn hurts their business in the short term. As a side effect, they’re strengthening their long-term brand equity – everybody wins.

I’m getting close to at least ten emails a week from many brands I forgot I had purchased from or subscribed to. Most pledging that they were “here for me” while outlining how they were responding to the pandemic. For some, that made sense. They brought news of actual benefits that have been put in place. This might be a financial institution talking about waiving certain fees and new loan opportunities, or even companies promoting their own methods of fundraising for relief efforts. On the other hand, there are a lot of businesses that aren’t bringing anything to the table and don’t even provide a product or service affected by the pandemic. I’m left wondering, are you really here for me? My advice is that sometimes the best decision is to not say anything. If you are not providing value to a distressed audience, don’t feel pressured to add to the noise just to stay relevant.

Solve don’t sell

I have been struck by so many displays of generosity and altruism, from small acts of kindness to grandiose contributions on a large scale. In this Cannes Lions interview, Ricardo Dias, VP of marketing of Ambev Brazil, outlines how AB InBev as a whole is approaching the new normal. They’ve boldly begun producing hand sanitizer instead of beer that will be distributed to healthcare facilities across Sao Paulo. This has gone on to inspire others to pivot in such a way that is potentially saving human lives but also the jobs of their employees. This type of “adapt or perish” mentality is inspiring to other business owners as a model of resilience but also to the general public as a company dedicated to helping people, “There is a fine line between doing what's right for the country and keeping your business afloat. But at the end of the day, the people who are our consumers…are the most important asset to our company…Therefore if we do not protect them, there is no business…We’re going to go as far as we need to until we run out of money.” This podcast really resonates because it comes from an honest and passionate brand champion with virtuous intentions. Ricardo doesn’t come off as someone who is bragging about the company’s contributions, but more so leading the way to encourage others to follow for the greater good.

AB InBev has also donated $5M to Red Cross relief efforts and released the “One Team” campaign. Though, this particular ad was not quite as successful as the interview with Ricardo in terms of intentions. Without more context to this line, “We’re shifting our sports investments to help our heroes on the front lines,” this could be viewed as an unfair comparison of AB InBev’s “sacrifice” to the sacrifices of the medical and military personnel in the montage at the beginning of the ad. This would align better with Ricardo’s position if they removed that statement and shifted the call to action to a donation to the Red Cross. Of course, the formats of these two brand communications are entirely different, but this nuance is important to an approach that is both empathetic and self-aware.

Be careful with emotions

We’re all on edge; sensitive and unsure. Conjuring emotion is not very difficult, to say the least. Throwing together a montage of sick people communicating to their families through glass or healthcare workers struggling through their day with some maudlin violin medley is like shooting fish in a barrel. Yes, as a creative director, you usually strive to stir emotion to connect to your audience, but do not take advantage of a tough situation to gain attention and relevance. Don’t blindly throw around that montage unless it has a genuine purpose that is specific to your relationship with your audience and how you can help them. Overplaying the emotional notes is a huge turnoff and unnecessary. Get creative with how you approach your communications in this time. Take UPS for example, they recently released a campaign simply stating, “Hey, we’re open.” It’s simple, to-the-point, clear on the benefit to me as a customer, not posing themselves as heroes, not trying to gain sympathy or extra attention. It’s certainly a nice reprieve from the heavy communications we are receiving day after day.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is a branding opportunity.”

I’m hearing this a lot, and I don’t necessarily disagree, but I’d prefer to think of it more as an opportunity to react to adversity in a way that’s dedicated to the community as a whole with strong values and integrity. Hopefully, your company won’t have to try too hard to achieve this, and you’ll strengthen your brand as an inadvertent benefit of simply carrying on in a way that you not only feel is right but one in which you are compelled to act in times of turmoil. You can call me naïve, but I’ll spend my career advocating for a more human approach to advertising.

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