Thursday, 9th April 2020
During this lockdown period, we’ve seen many examples, some celebrities and some ‘ordinary’ people making the use of the time to create content, for free, for others to enjoy. Joe Wicks’ fitness videos is just one of the many examples that spring to mind. It cannot be said that these are bad things, especially as they are continuing their output for free, allowing those that are struggling with the restrictions a chance to escape.
What I cannot understand, however, is the amount of advertising that has suddenly appeared as a result of the coronavirus. I’m not talking about the public information videos put out by the government but I am talking about the sudden flurry of companies that have created bespoke adverts as a result about the situation.
Most of the big supermarkets have created adverts, designed, on the face of it, to give information about how to shop safely. But the branding is all there. Some have clearly used library footage, spliced together with a voiceover. Others, however, have created brand new videos, recorded very recently.
It’s not just supermarkets, either. I’ve seen other companies changing and creating adverts in response to the lockdown and that makes me very uncomfortable. Again, under the guise of helping or informing, but still powerfully branded and, ultimately, designed to improve their image, using the Covid-19 situation to do that.
We’re in a time of great uncertainty, but it would appear that some people are seeing this as an opportunity to continue pumping out their capitalist messages.
