Covid-19 has created the biggest flood of brand communications since the “Let’s Keep in Touch!” onslaught of 2018 (ah, remember the halcyon days of GDPR?)
But while more Covid-19 comms than we care to count have resorted to the same clichés — and fallen flatter than a day-old pancake as a result — there have also been a number of absolute gems.
Here are 5 of our favourites, and why we think they’re brilliant.
1. LINGsCARS
You only need to look at LINGsCARS’ website to realise this isn’t your average dealership. It’s like being dropped in the middle of Piccadilly Circus on a Friday night. But because the tone is consistently tongue-in-cheek, it works.
LINGsCARS owner Ling Valentine’s furlough letter to staff is equally on brand. Where most others have adopted a sombre tone, she manages to be brilliantly irreverent without minimising the seriousness of the situation:
“In the Motor industry, there are many people on low salaries and high commission. I think their salary arrangements stink. On Facebook, many are squealing because their employers are giving them the bobby basic payments, on a salary that’s shit. Under minimum wage.
“Fortunately, LINGsCARS pays full salaries to all employees (ie. YOU) with no commission. You may applaud. Thank you. Show your thanks by sending me chocolatey or wine-based gifts.”
And while it’s safe to assume legal went over every single word with a fine-tooth comb at least three times, it doesn’t feel like it. The language is crystal clear and refreshingly free from business-speak. So Valentine comes across as sincere and reassuring.
2. Spoke
The tone of Spoke CEO Ben Farren’s email to customers couldn’t be more different to that of Valentine’s furlough letter. But because he leads with a highly relevant personal story, it comes across as equally genuine and heartfelt:
“I’ve had an unusual perspective, watching it unravel alone, in quarantine, with a fever. And a nasty cough. I have not been living my best life.
“But… I’m on the mend. And I’ve had a sharp reminder of the things that really matter. On Monday, my family came by to drop a food parcel on the doorstep — and there’s nothing like watching your kids be driven away with their faces pressed to the glass, to remind you of what you really care about.”
The image of his kids leaving while he stays behind, ill and alone, kicks you right in the feels. There’s also no doubting his sincerity. He gets it. He’s lived through everyone’s biggest nightmare and came out the other side. So you can’t help but feel a sense of connection.
3. Doncaster Council
They’re not strictly a brand, but Doncaster Council have been crushing it on social media. Their Covid-19 content is fun, engaging, and informative, with a healthy dose of irreverence that never crosses the line into bad taste.
This thread hailing key workers for keeping us moving during lockdown is a masterclass in storytelling — poignant and powerful without being corny.
But their crowning achievement is probably this thread.
Posted right after the UK government released head-scratching new Covid-19 guidelines at the end of June, it measures distances in units of Doncaster-born celebrities, local delicacies, and other objects, with hilarious results.
4. Lush
Lush’s marketing has been somewhat hit or miss during the past few years (remember the Spycops backlash?). But their approach to Covid-19 is a win in our book.
In February, before general panic, The Great Loo Roll Shortage, and, eventually, lockdowns kicked in, Lush was inviting customers to go into their shops and wash their hands for free.
They also created a record, made from their iconic bubblegum-fragranced soap, that looped Happy Birthday twice to educate people on how long they should wash their hands for.
Pamphlet-style panels showing the correct way to wash your hands with popular song lyrics underneath became a hugely popular meme soon after. So Lush’s move turned out to be more than just an inspired bit of marketing. It was also remarkably forward-thinking.
5. Ikea
Wording your message the right way is super important (hey, we’re biased after all). But, sometimes, the right way to word something is to use few or no words at all.
Ikea’s Covid-19 pamphlet does just that, subverting their iconic — or infamous, depending on your DIY skills — assembly instructions to drive their powerful and subtly cheeky message home (see what we did there).
It’s clear, on brand, and says everything it needs to say without overcomplicating. What else is there to say?
Over to you
And there they are. Five examples of Covid-19 comms we think are head and shoulders over the rest.
What has caught your eye in the sea of we-miss-yous, now-more-than-evers, and here-to-helps? Do you have examples of excellent Covid-19 comms you think deserve a shoutout?
Tell us in the comments or tweet at us.
