Running successful advertising campaigns during the coronavirus pandemic is turning out to be a litmus test for brands, which are always at a risk of drawing the ire of users on social media. According to Anish Varghese, CCO, Isobar, brands and agencies need to be immensely careful with their campaigns as today’s TG frowns upon opportunists.
A few Indian brands have used humour to spread the awareness of social distancing amid Covid-19 by localizing their campaigns. Amul, India’s fastest-growing dairy organization and the 9th largest in the world has done some interesting ads. The brand is well known for its brand campaigns that are topical and localized, especially using Hinglish to reach out to the consumers.To promote social distancing, their cartoon comics were relevant, witty and creative thus speaking about ‘flattening the curve’, ‘following the practice of Namaste’, glorifying ‘the applaud observed across the entire country’ and ‘thanking the doctors’ by taking a reference from a 2003 Bollywood blockbuster movie Munnabhai MBBS
A recent survey by Kantar showed that in India, 45 per cent of the consumers surveyed were more bothered by the disruption, rather than the health issues caused by the virus. This is in keeping with trends across the world. With people restless to get on with the old way of life, changing behaviour for good is a tough ask. The WHO recommends a set of rules for public service communication in a health crisis. A health campaign must move the target audience from awareness of an issue towards a behaviour resulting in a specific health outcome, it said on its website. An effective campaign must also adapt to, and consider the context of, the community it serves. And the best way to do that is to involve partners early in the campaign, use trusted messengers and ensure availability of community resources, the WHO states.
The common message around the world is that citizens need to learn to live with “coronavirus” for some time. Heineken along with Publicis highlighted the “everyday” problems faced by individuals as they connect with people digitally- From reconnecting video calls, poor network to roommates in the background. “It’s not the best get-together, but it’s the best way to get together,” the advertisement says as it tries to communicate the message #SocialiseResponsibly.
● Be human. Remember that consumers are seeking comfort in the parts of their routines that feel normal to them—cooking, working out, talking to friends, etc. Are you in a position to help them with any of those everyday activities? Now is a good time to do so.
● Think authentic. You don’t need a fancy production studio or hired team of actors to make a great video. Can you call out to your community to send you videos? Get scrappy—that’s the content that will resonate with audiences the most.
● Think of something you’re known for regularly, and transform it—a darshini known for its masala dosas? Show that you’ve pivoted to curbside pickup, or donate whatever you can to PMCARES Fund. Local gym? Have trainers host classes virtually from their homes, and let members know how they can access them.
● Take this time to break down walls that divide human beings—we are all in this together, and it can be a helpful reminder from companies to their audiences