What's next for brands?
The economic impact of COVID-19 has frozen many brands in their tracks. Messages and campaigns that struck a chord a few short weeks ago, now feel hollow or mismatched to our new reality. Marketing budgets have been slashed, innovation programs have been halted, and voices have been silenced. It's a natural response to an existential threat. But it's not a sustainable one.
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Last week, Northwell Health launched the Hope Tracker – a digital mega board outside Madison Square Garden that shows the number of patients at the health system’s hospitals who have recovered from COVID-19. The initiative was developed by our friends at Strawberry Frog, who "wanted to find a simple yet powerful way to provide hope" according to Executive Creative Director, Josh Greenspan. But while the news from Northwell on their giant outdoors billboard is overwhelmingly positive, things aren't looking so great for many people stuck behind closed doors.
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In this time of crisis, the vast majority of U.S. consumers either want to hear the same amount or more from brands and companies according to research conducted by Opinium at the end of March. Obviously, consumers want to hear more from brands that provide essential services like food, healthcare and household products. But they're still happy to hear the same amount – or more – from fitness, automotive, fashion and beauty brands.
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An analysis by Pattern 89 of more than 1,100 brands advertising on Facebook and Instagram in March found that images and videos of models displaying human interaction (hugging, shaking hands, touching, etc.) are down by 27% since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, ads featuring images of exercise, water and electronic devices have seen a dramatic increase.
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Like most travel and hospitality brands, Airbnb has been hit hard by COVID-19. Bookings are down, all marketing has been suspended and the company's much-anticipated IPO is on hold. But at the same time as these taking dramatic defensive moves are put in place, Airbnb is taking bold steps to pivot and survive the crisis.
Read MoreIf it seems like big brands are in "disaster default" mode, it's because they are. From the soothing piano to the surreal, empty landscapes this super-cut of COVID-19 ads shows just how formulaic the response to the pandemic has been in Ad Land.
