Marketing Week reported that nine in 10 marketers delayed their planned campaigns in response to COVID-19. However, despite the marketing world taking a big hit, the industry hasn’t been completely full of doom and gloom. Here are five brands who are making a positive impact on their marketing efforts despite the coronavirus pandemic.
BT
The telecom giant was once labelled as a “brand that stands for nothing” by its own marketing boss. But now BT has high hopes to shift into the role of public service communicator throughout the pandemic.
BT launched ‘Top Tips on Tech’ with ITV and well-known celebrities taking over whole advert breaks to teach the nation vital digital skills. From using WhatsApp to downloading podcasts, the campaign aims to highlight the power of communication during the nationwide lockdown. It’ll be interesting to see whether the campaign makes the brand appear more emotive in the future.
Virgin Media
With a planned ad shoot cancelled thanks to coronavirus, Virgin Media instead used its airtime to champion how the UK is staying connected under lockdown. Instead of aiming to sell, ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Connected’ was designed to lift spirits, evoke a sense of normality and re-cement the brand’s core values.
With no way of shooting new content, Virgin Media cleverly used video clips created by the public. From footage of ‘Clap for Carers’, to people learning new skills and celebrating birthdays on video calls, the ad expresses how the nation is all in this together.
GiffGaff
In light of the pandemic, mobile network GiffGaff brought forward the launch of a community-focused advert which was planned for later in 2020. ‘Putting Community First’ highlights the importance of community spirit and launched early to put something positive out in the world amidst coronavirus.
The brand took to the streets last year to ask the public their opinions on topics such as refurbished phones and what community means to them. Instead of using the scheduled refurbished phones footage, GiffGaff decided to run the community-focused content as it felt it would help lift the spirits of a nation during this difficult time. This highlights that you don’t have to put already produced content aside. Think about ways to repurpose it first.
Unity Technologies
Unity Technologies, a video game software development company, has offered a source of entertainment to game developers in lockdown by giving away three months of premium content for free. Unity Learn, which is also part of Unity Technologies, has also responded positively to the worldwide pandemic by launching Create with Code Live. This free virtual class aims to teach computer science and complex coding to those entering roles at game development companies. Great flexible marketing efforts all round!
VOXI
Mobile network VOXI has reacted quickly to the world’s lockdown life by launching a TV advert produced and shot entirely in ‘self-isolation’. ‘I Am Endless (even in isolation)’ focuses on how VOXI’s Endless Social Media package is helping people get through lockdown. It features scenes of family and friends having fun, staying connected and taking part in the social media trends sweeping the nation.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the advert was not shot in the traditional way. Using Samsung phones and directed using Microsoft Teams, the advert was put together entirely remotely in just days.
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