With the coronavirus crisis forcing businesses to work remotely the world over, one of the many industries affected is ours: video production. Naturally, many elements of traditional production don’t align with the needs of a lockdown. Crews can’t operate together, projects need to be planned remotely, any acting talent can’t work on-set and so on. It’s an undeniably difficult time for creatives, and marketers are being forced to get creative with their ads. And when you consider the increase in online audiences, the need for strong marketing hasn’t dwindled. This can often feel like a push and pull between creative needs and practical limitations.
Today, Instead of dwelling on the difficulties, we wanted to take a look at some of the brands and companies that have been successfully getting creative with current limitations. Here are 5 of our favourite lockdown ads, created during the Covid-19 crisis.
The first of these lockdown ads maybe isn't the happiest, but it does prove the power of strong video marketing. Using video call format, TBWADublin were able to create an immediately relatable and relevant ad for current times. Highlighting the rise in domestic abuse cases seen in Ireland during the lockdown period, the ad is a stark reminder of the reality of lockdown for many victims. A powerful campaign; we were really struck by the way it used current means of communication within the ad itself to drive a powerful message in new ways.
This ad from Finnish NGO HelsinkiMission, uses the bleak feel of abandoned daily hot-spots across the city to highlight an important cause. concluding with the line "For some, this is how the world has always felt", reminds us of the reality of loneliness. The silence and stillness of the various scenes is particularly impactful; using the lack of people in frame as a way to communicate a feeling of isolation that we can all relate to ate the moment. It's a great example of using current conditions to compliment a message.
Apple's latest lockdown ad shows us just how creative the world has become in finding solutions during these insane times. It's a spot that could have fallen flat - depicting life in lockdown from an admittedly privileged viewpoint. But instead the emotional through line of the ad immediately wins you over. Maybe it's down to Apple's typically effective presentation, which is just as present here despite the obvious restrictions. Somehow they've continued with their brand of high quality photography even through home-made content. It's an effective ode to creativity in a time when we need it the most.
German Supermarket chain Penny decided to take a child's perspective on the surge of professionals making the transition to remote working from home. It's a refreshing change of pace from the onslaught of brands and companies presenting tales of WFH employees. Through the eyes of a child, the spot acknowledges the strange situation we find ourselves in, with a charm and humanity that avoids feeling too saccharine. It was produced with a smaller team than usual, just before Lockdown measures were implemented.
Over in Singapore, Ikea have been using shot-at-home content to highlight the unity of WFH. With a clear message throughout, the spot stitches together mundane, fun and just down right crazy situations that could only arise from being at home. It's a sweet little spot, that manages to fit the current situation in to Ikea's brand and tone effectively.
These are just a few ads we’ve seen during lockdown, but there are loads of companies getting creative with video at the moment! Let us know if you've seen any other examples of creativity! We hope these examples have offered a glimmer of inspiration during these trying times.
You can find out more about some of the services we’re providing for businesses wanting to utilise video in their marketing strategy during the crisis.
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