Our Favourite Lockdown Ads

Although not fully recovered, restrictions are being lifted and millions of people are no longer confined to their homes for months on end. However, the concept of going back to full-time work still remains alien. 

If there’s one major change in business activity that we’ve both seen and experienced, it’s an explosion of creativity. Everyone has been forced to act more creatively, especially during the lockdown. 

Unfortunately, booking a villa in a sunny paradise for a product shoot simply wasn’t possible, and still is a push today, so alternative action had to be taken to produce results and function as normal as possible.

The change in lifestyle the whole of the UK and the rest of the world has experienced during the lockdown made it difficult to overcome the negativity and challenges surrounding the pandemic. 

Nevertheless, communities pulled together and made possible what others believed impossible, which gave businesses the opportunity to support their audience, promote a good cause, and spread positivity during the coronavirus. 

From the tech industry to breweries, the following businesses have been able to spread inspiration and motivate people around the world. Here are our favorite Lockdown Ads!

1. Apple – “Creativity goes on”

To boost morale and motivate people around the world, on 10th April Apple released its “Creativity goes on” ad, which can now be watched on YouTube. It highlights the working/learning from the home aspect of the pandemic and how Apple products can aid the process.

We especially love this ad because it sends a message of hope. Yes, we were all confined to our homes and struggling to keep ourselves entertained, but it is possible to keep your creativity alive with an iPad, Macbook or Facetime, etc. 

To really propel the message further, celebrity faces such as Oprah Winfrey and John Krasinski are used to create a wider influence and spread the word more effectively.

2. Guinness – “St. Patrick’s Day”

As businesses around the world fail to remain open during the pandemic, pubs and restaurants are what keep companies like Guinness alive. Not only that but the famous tour of their brewery is definitely out of the question at the movement. 

With the absence of such entities, you would expect Guinness to focus on the negative impact the coronavirus has caused – but no.

To instill confidence in the people of the UK, Guinness state that they recently signed a 9000-year lease on their brewery, showing how resilient they are during these times.

Given Guinness’s prior advertising success, specifically on Facebook ads, it’s no surprise that they have created a masterpiece of an advertising campaign!

3. IKEA – “Making home count”

IKEA has created something really special, something that almost everyone can relate to – being at home.

It’s not the aspect of being locked away at home that IKEA focuses on, it’s the moments that you probably take for granted. For instance, spending time with your family, playing with your kids, and other activities that you won’t have time for when work begins again.

A key factor that makes this ad so effective is how IKEA taps into the viewer’s emotions. Families laughing and creating memories is something we all wish we could do more of, and maybe the pandemic, as devastating as it is, has given us the opportunity to do so.

4. Women’s Aid – “The Lockdown”

As the nation was locked away at home, and the streets left empty, it would seem like a safer time than any – crime rates dropped dramatically and the infection rates were decreasing. 

This couldn’t be further from the truth, thousands of women around the world that were seeking domestic abuse support were forced to retreat to their homes and live 24/7 with their domestic partners. 

The campaign that Women’s aid created was abrupt and straight to the point, outlining that domestic abusers are no longer in the open, their hidden away, continuing to abuse women.

The ad creates a chilling atmosphere as it captures the empty streets of London with hardly any cars on the road, giving people at home an insight into the impact of the coronavirus from their Television.

5. Porsche – “Easy Temptation. Stay Home”

The empty roads and sunny weather make it tempting for avid car lovers to take to the roads and make use of the space, but Porche thinks otherwise.

By creating a thrilling ad with fast scene changes and intense sound effects, you a tricked into thinking a car chase of sorts will follow. However, the ad suddenly ends with a clear statement, “we know it’s tempting, but stay at home.”

As one of the leading car companies in the world, it’s amazing to see the support they have shown the public sounding the pandemic. The truth is, they’re going against all sales tactics they know to keep people safe – that’s a company I would buy from!

6. Birds Eye – “What’s for Tea?”

An interesting perspective has been taken from Birds Eye, focusing on ‘what’s for tea?’ For a family with young children, this probably is going to be the most important question of the day!

Birds Eye has managed to collect a number of household clips, that are relatable and incorporate humor, to convey their message. This message sympathizes with parents that have to be creative, day in, and day out to provide something exciting for tea each night.

Not only do they acknowledge the struggle, but also implement an effective content marketing campaign to complement their ads, connecting with parents and increase their engagement. They created a resource called ‘helpful ideas’, that presents recipe ideas and lots of creative solutions in the kitchen.

What we took away from these Lockdown Ads 

The change in consumer behaviour that we have experienced during the coronavirus has been tremendous, and trying to sell your product/service with no mention of the current crisis is not going to drive in a lot of sales revenue.

Being sympathetic towards your audience and not being afraid to outline hard truths about what’s going on, allows your audience and people from all around the world to understand you’re here to support them, not to take their cash.

Purely from a marketing perspective, this pandemic is your opportunity to grow your audience and develop a strong reputation within your community. 

From a similar standpoint, be personable. Remember that every individual you sell to is a human being, so address them as one.This is what all of these ads do so well.