PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING

Marketing Diary
Submitted By: Muhammad Safiullah
ERP: 17306
7/17/2020
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
1. BROOKE BOND- Dooriyon Mein Apna Pan (19 Jun 2020) ................................................. 1
2. APPLE- The whole working-from-home thing (13 Jul 2020) ................................................ 2
3. DOMINO’S PIZZA- Order Karna Safe Hai (26 Jun 2020) .................................................... 3
4. BURGER KING- Stay Home of the Whopper (9 Apr 2020) .................................................. 4
5. UBER- Thank You for Not Riding (8 Apr 2020) .................................................................... 5
6. LIFEBUOY- Haathon Ki Hifazat, Pakistan Ki Hifazat (1 Apr 2020)..................................... 6
7. COCA COLA- For the Human Race (30 Apr 2020) ............................................................... 7
8. TAPAL TEA- Stay Strong Pakistan in COVID19 (15 May 2020) ......................................... 8
9. VOLKSWAGEN- Thanks for keeping your social distance (23 Mar 2020) .......................... 9
10. NIKE- You Can't Stop Us (23 May 2020) ......................................................................... 10
11. CHIQUITA- #stayhome (25 Mar 2020) ............................................................................ 12
12. MCDONALD’S - Broken Arches (21 Mar 2020) ............................................................. 13
13. SUBWAY- Subway Is Safe (1 June 2020) ........................................................................ 14
14. MERCADO LIBRE- Elbow Bump (18 Mar 2020) ........................................................... 15
15. SOOPER- One Nation against Covid-19 (16 May 2020) .................................................. 16
16. AUDI- Keep Distance (26 Apr 2020) ................................................................................ 17
17. YOUTUBE- Stay Home #WithMe (28 Mar 2020)............................................................ 18
18. SPOTIFY- Spread Music Not COVID-19 (26 Mar 2020)................................................. 19
19. LABATT- Make a Difference (19 Mar 2020) ................................................................... 20
20. PEPSI- Millions of Meals till the Nation Heals (18 Apr 2020) ......................................... 21
REFERENCES: ............................................................................................................................ 22
Introduction
The effects of COVID-19 have shaken the entire world. People are locked up in their homes and
the source of income for many families is greatly affected. The businesses are unable to operate
and many companies have fired several employees. In these uncertain conditions many multi-
national brands have closed their outlets across the globe. Work from home is encouraged by
these companies and the survival of the business is the priority. Despite all these hurdles, multi-
national and local companies have been able to engage with their target customers by the help of
advertising. To remain competitive in the market brands have started advertising their product
along with a key feature to capture more attention and that is awareness. In the following diary
several brands are listed along with their advertising campaign for both pre and post COVID.

1. BROOKE BOND- Dooriyon Mein Apna Pan (19 Jun 2020)

Brooke Bond Supreme is one of the Pakistan’s most favorite tea brands which are produced by
Unilever Pakistan. Since many brands as mentioned above have adopted a new advertising
approach amid the COVID-19, the same way supreme has also produced a TVC in which it aims
to spread love and harmony even if a family member is isolated. In the following images
Supreme has used two different tag lines for its ads which are from pre and post COVID times
respectively.

Figure 1: Pre-COVID1 & Post COVID2

In the first image Supreme is endorsing to have a cup of tea with your family and to build a close
relationship with it. However, in the second image after the COVID time period the tag line is
changed and distancing yourself from others is promoted. In the ads we can see how Supreme
shows a family before pandemic which is enjoying their tea and it portrays that healthy
relationships are formed by greeting others. Whereas, in the post COVID ad a mother makes tea
for her family including the neighbor who is isolated and then by maintaining distance she keeps
the tea at his door. The ad is captioned with the phrase: “Let's stay socially connected while
being physically distant”. This way supreme has successfully delivered its message and has
spread awareness regarding social distancing. Moreover, it has also marketed its product by
showing that a cup of tea brings a family together and spreads love despite having distance
between them.

1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFPiHP6SF3E
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-qGlCHOc3Y

1
 2. APPLE- The whole working-from-home thing (13 Jul 2020)
Apple Inc. is one of the Big Tech technology company in the world. It designs, develops and
sells consumer electronic items such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops. Just like any other
multinational company, Apple has also faced huge loss due to the COVID-19 crisis. In these
challenging times Apple was one the first major companies to close its retail stores. Around 100
retail stores are closed around the world but Apple is still working to provide the best service to
its customers online. To ensure this Apple created an ad named “The whole working-from-home
thing” in which it strongly emphasizes on the importance of teamwork and creativity and also
highlights the current situation of pandemic. Following are some screenshots from the ads by
Apple in the pre and post COVID time.

Figure 2 (Left): Ad before pandemic (Right): Ad after pandemic

In the ads, the one before COVID-193 shows a group of colleagues working on a tight deadline
in an office environment where they are interacting and working with complete coordination.
The ad highlights the teamwork and efficiency of the Apple gadgets used. However, in the post
COVID advertisement4 the same group of people are working with complete coordination and
with the same efficiency but this time instead of working in an office they are working from
home. Apple here coveys to its audience that even in times like these Apple is providing the
same level of interaction despite working from home. The ad depicts the current scenario and
promotes social distancing. Moreover, it also delivers the message that the Apple products can
help you meet your deadlines even if you are working from home.

3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9TdA8d5aaU
4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_pru8U2RmM

2
 3. DOMINO’S PIZZA- Order Karna Safe Hai (26 Jun 2020)
Domino’s is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain which was founded in 1960. It has
its franchise-owned and company-owned stores all around the world. Domino’s marketing has
been quite impressive during the last couple of years. They have a unique delivery policy in
which they promise to deliver pizza at your doorstep within 30 minutes. They even offer free
service if they fail to fulfill this policy. These kinds of tactics have helped them build a strong
consumer base in India. However, even in times of pandemic Domino’s did not disappoint its
customers. Here are some examples of how Domino’s continues to provide services during
COVID-19 crisis.

Figure 3: Before COVID

Figure 4: Post COVID precautions shown

Before the pandemic, Domino’s was using the 30 minute delivery policy in their advertisements
and used the hash tag: #KhushiyoKiDelivery5. In this ad, a family which is leaving to catch a
flight waits for a quick snack. The girl in the ad orders Domino’s and it gets delivered within 30
minutes. As the ad was made in 2019, there was no concept of distancing and the delivery guy
delivers the pizza in a usual manner. However, in the post COVID advertisement6 the focus
shifts towards the safety. It shows that the pizza is baked without any hands touching it and zero
contact delivery is made. This implies that Domino’s is now concerned more towards the health
of its customers and is taking all the precautions. It has also eliminated the fear of ordering
online by using “Order Karna Safe Hai” as their video title. By using these strategies Domino’s
is able to continue its sales by providing the best service.

5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqLpbWIBk5Y
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1EiqCyNeN8

3
 4. BURGER KING- Stay Home of the Whopper (9 Apr 2020)

Burger King is a leading multinational chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. The company
has its franchises in different countries and is operating quite successfully. Due to the pandemic
many restaurants and public places are closed and online food delivery service is promoted.
Burger King being one of the leading food chains is also operating online and is delivering their
famous “WHOPPERS” at your doorstep. To promote this Burger King has produced an
advertisement where they are endorsing to stay home and order online.

Figure 5: Burger King Stay Home Ad

In the pre- COVID times Burger King released an ad7 in which they advertised their crispy
chicken fries. In the ad it can be seen that two individuals are arguing over the crispy fries while
waiting in the queue to place their order. This indicates that at that time it was normal to order
your food by visiting the restaurant. However, in the post- COVID time the advertisement8 is
completely different. Burger King here is requesting its customers to help health care heroes by
staying on the couch and ordering their whopper online. It is also providing free delivery to its
customers to induce them in placing their orders. Moreover, to show their support to the nurses
the ad announces of donating free whoppers and supporting the American Nurses Foundation.
This way Burger King has achieved several goals through one ad. Beside, raising awareness
regarding the COVID-19, Burger King has also marketed its famous burger whopper which will
help the company in increasing the sales in this period of pandemic.

7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_FuFpFvPQQ
8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsQ7Wto0FJg

4
 5. UBER- Thank You for Not Riding (8 Apr 2020)
Uber is an American multinational ride-hailing company which offers services such as peer-to-
peer ridesharing, food delivery (Uber Eats) and ride service hailing. The company is currently
operating in 785 cities worldwide. Like many other multinational firms Uber has also reacted to
the COVID-19 crisis and has launched an advertising campaign. The advertisement is titled
“Thank you for not riding”, which is negating the main purpose of the company’s service but it
delivers a strong message.

Figure 6 (Top): Pre-Covid (Bottom): Post-Covid

In the pre-COVID9 ad we can see how Uber is promoting its ride service by showing different
people travelling in cars and reaching their desired destination. The ad also points that
opportunity is everywhere and to avail it one should get out. In the ad people are also seen
meeting and greeting each other which endorses socializing. However, in the post-COVID ad10
there is no travelling shown and people are engaged in their quarantine activities. Some of them
are seen playing while others are communicating with their families through video calls. Uber
here is solely raising awareness regarding staying home and appreciates those people who are not
riding with Uber. This way Uber is negating its own service to raise the concern of social
distancing even though it might be facing huge losses.

9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVXmLkcOiA&feature=youtu.be
10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e8XLnMiCOE&feature=youtu.be

5
 6. LIFEBUOY- Haathon Ki Hifazat, Pakistan Ki Hifazat (1 Apr
2020)
Lifebuoy is a soap brand marketed by Unilever. It is one the most used soaps in Pakistan and is
famous for germ killing soap. In the recent times during COVID-19 lifebuoy also launched its
marketing campaign by a video titled “Haathon ki Hifazat, Pakistan ki Hifazat”. The ad features
Pakistani celebrity Ayeza Khan and delivers a unique message.

Figure 7: Pre-Covid Ad

Figure 8: Post-Covid Ad

In the advertisement before COVID11, Lifebuoy promotes its new soap which is Silver Lifebuoy.
In the ad featuring Danish Taimoor and Ayeza Khan, the celebrities endorse the soap by
explaining how silver fights against germs and that Lifebuoy is the world’s No. 1 germ
protection soap. Whereas, in the post-COVID12 advertisement Ayeza Khan emphasizes that we
should use any soap be it Dettol, Safeguard or Lux but should wash our hands regularly. This
gives a clear message that Lifebuoy is not marketing their product in these tough times however;
the ad still somehow promotes lifebuoy by showing red towel and Ayeza Khan wearing a red
dress which indicates the color of their product and targets the customers psychologically. In this
way Lifebuoy not only delivers its message but also makes the audience remember the ad by its
color strategy.

11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcuI-oMwTkc&feature=youtu.be
12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHVHLrR5mTs&feature=youtu.be

6
 7. COCA COLA- For the Human Race (30 Apr 2020)
Coca-Cola also known as Coke is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by The Coca-Cola
Company. The soft drink has its dominance over the world soft-drink market by the help of its
marketing tactics. Coca-Cola has gone through a number of different advertising slogans in its
long history, including "The pause that refreshes", "I had like to buy the world a Coke", and
"Coke is it". However, during COVID-19 Coca-Cola came up with another advertising campaign
where it pays tribute to the doctors and health care professionals.

Figure 9: Coca-Cola Covid Campaign

In the ad campaign before COVID13, Coca-Cola marketed its product during a sports season
where all the people supporting their team in the season are watching the match with a coke
bottle in their hand. The ad talks about sharing team spirit and Coca Cola successfully promotes
its soft drink by keeping all the supporters together. However, in the post-COVID14 ad Coca
Cola only focuses on the message of kindness and hope. It gives a sense of satisfaction that even
if the schools are closed, there are several classrooms operating. Even if there is silence on the
streets there are sonatas from songbirds and for every virus there is a vaccine of positivity. It then
salutes the heroes of the human race and pays its tribute to them. Moreover, as shown in the
picture above Coca-Cola has also placed billboards in which the letters of the logo are separated
endorsing social distancing. Thus, in my opinion Coca-Cola has solely promoted the message of
hope and unity in these tough times instead of marketing their product.

13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QDdNUxWGwk
14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyYROCpfcs4&feature=youtu.be

7
 8. TAPAL TEA- Stay Strong Pakistan in COVID19 (15 May
2020)
Tapal Tea is a Pakistani tea company, which was founded in 1947. It is known for their Family
Mixture brand and offer variety of other brands such as Danedar and Tezdum. Tapal is the
largest tea brand in the country and is also known for its popular commercials. Just like Brooke
Bond Supreme campaign during COVID, Tapal Tea has also launched a TVC titled “STAY
STRONG PAKISTAN IN COVID19”. The commercial talks about unity and gives hope about
overcoming this period of pandemic.

Figure 10: Pre-Covid & Post-Covid Ad

In the two ads by Tapal, the company has used different marketing strategies. In the first picture
the company’s slogan is “Tum, mein aur aik cup chai”15 where a mother and a son share a light
moment during breakfast and are seen enjoying the Tapal tea together. The commercial depicts
love and affection and a sense of bonding which is created through a cup of Tapal tea every
morning. However, in the second picture, which is a part of post-COVID campaign, Tapal
promotes the message of hope and courage. The brand has partnered with several philanthropic
organizations such as Saylani welfare trust, Shahid Afridi Foundation, Akhuwat Foundation and
others. In order to spread hope and happiness, Tapal has also donated tea packs for ration
bundles prepared for under privileged households. Moreover, it is also taking measures in
helping its employees during these tough times by providing them with preventive gears. During
this campaign Tapal TVC16 is serving to revive Pakistan’s spirit and is motivating everyone to
fight against these challenging times. The ad promotes unity and endorses to stay strong.
Dawn article: https://www.dawn.com/news/1558253/tapal-is-stepping-forward-to-help-pakistan-
fight-the-coronavirus-outbreak-heres-how

15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6twsh3pHRg&feature=youtu.be
16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4a2iEAnhhk&feature=youtu.be

8
 9. VOLKSWAGEN- Thanks for keeping your social distance (23
Mar 2020)
Volkswagen is a German automotive industry which was founded in 1937 by the German Labor
Front. The company is famous for its iconic car Beetle and is one the leading automaker in the
world. Its current international advertising slogan is just “Volkswagen” which translates to
“people’s car” in German. In these challenging times, Volkswagen is also showing a strong
support for those affected by COVID and has delivered a message regarding social distancing in
a recent video.

Figure 11: Volkswagen Logo pre and post Covid

In their advertising campaigns, Volkswagen always comes up with unique ideas and presents its
product differently. In the pre-COVID17 times last year, Volkswagen released an ad in which
they advertised their new car: “Golf”. In the commercial, the attributes and quality of the car are
depicted and people are shown enjoying the experience of the machine. In this ad, Volkswagen
has marketed their car in every possible and there isn’t any social message. However, the ad18
released during the pandemic is completely different. In this ad, Volkswagen talks about how
they have managed to defeat many crises before by standing strong with the people. The ad uses
the word “we” to refer to all the people associated with Volkswagen and says that we have been
able to defeat such crisis before by being close to each other. It further highlights that in order to
overcome this crisis we need to keep our distance and fight it. In the end of the video to support
social distancing, Volkswagen distanced the “V” and “W” in their logo. This way Volkswagen
has delivered a strong message to their audiences that in these testing times we need to stay at
home and should play our part in defeating the virus. Moreover, it has not promoted any of its
cars unlike the previous ads.

17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBnnb7C_G2I
18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcKP_-VB6xY

9
 10. NIKE- You Can't Stop Us (23 May 2020)
Nike is an American multinational corporation that is involved in design, manufacturing,
marketing and sales of footwear. It is the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and a major
producer of sports equipment. Nike promotes its products by the help of sponsorships with
different celebrity athletes and professional teams. During this pandemic Nike has once again
used its marketing tactics and created an ad titled “You can’t stop us”. In this ad, Nike is
promoting its campaign- against the COVID-19 emergency. Here are some images from the pre
and post COVID campaigns by Nike.

Figure 12: Pre & Post Covid Campaigns

Nike uses emotional branding strategy in its ads in which they engage consumers using the
themes such determination and inspiration. In the campaigns before COVID Nike has also done
the same. Last year, Nike promoted women’s world cup and released an ad titled “Dream with
us”19. In the ad, Nike emotionally targets the female audience and inspires them to end gender
inequality. It induces them to dream big and play the sport they have never played before. On the
other hand, in the post-COVID20 campaign Nike has used images and video footage of people
working out in their homes and basement. It also shows famous athletes such as Ronaldo and
LeBron James to show that we all are in this together. It gives a message of not giving up and to
keep fighting against the odds. The picture above is also the part of campaign which reinforces
that we all must do our bit and “play inside”. By using these tactics, Nike has not only delivered
its message but has also inspired consumers even in these unusual times and has achieved its
core purpose cleverly.

19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmyZ1ytxknw
20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-t8qPldklc

10
nd
2 Submission
Dated: 4/8/2020

11
 11. CHIQUITA- #stayhome (25 Mar 2020)

Chiquita is an American producer and distributor of bananas and other fruits. Its brand name
Chiquita was registered as trademark in 1947 and the company was renamed to Chiquita Brands
International in 1990. The company currently operates in 70 countries and is the leading
distributor of bananas in the United States. During the pandemic, Chiquita faced troubles like
many other businesses but it also kept donating and supporting people affected by the virus. The
company donated 1 million bananas to communities affected by COVID across US. Moreover,
as a part of its advertising campaign it has removed Miss Chiquita from the Blue Sticker logo for
the first time in history, encouraging people to stay at home. The following pictures depict the
changes made by Chiquita in its logo.

Figure 13: Chiquita removed the "Miss Chiquita"

Before the pandemic, Chiquita never made any adjustments to its logo and promoted its product
by the famous “Miss Chiquita” logo. Advertisements featured the trademark banana character
with a fruit hat but later on the women replaced banana in the logo. However, in the post
COVID period Chiquita used the social media platform to quickly adopt with the pandemic
situation and promoted social distancing by removing the lady from the logo. The brand posted
the above image on Instagram with the caption “I’m already home. Please do the same and
protect yourself,” #stayhome. This was a clever strategy played by Chiquita as it gathered
attention from the audience and also promoted the message of social distancing during the
COVID times.

12
 12. MCDONALD’S - Broken Arches (21 Mar 2020)

McDonald’s is an American fast food company and very well-known across the world. It was
founded in 1940 as a restaurant and later became a franchise, with the introduction of Golden
Arches logo in 1953. It is the world’s largest restaurant chain in terms of revenue and serves over
69 million customers daily. During these challenging times, McDonald’s has once again proved
that it isn’t afraid to use the power of minimalism to its advantage in its advertising. In the recent
campaign McDonald’s has separated the two halves of its famous Golden Arches to endorse
social distancing during COVID-19.

Figure 14: McDonald’s logo arches separated

Previously, in a campaign McDonald’s used its Golden Arches as a way of directing hungry
customers on the road. It was a very clever approach to point drivers in the right direction and to
advertise their brand simultaneously. However, these campaigns were before Covid-19 when
traveling was normal and there was no concept of social distancing. In the post COVID period,
McDonald’s Brazil used its Golden Arches to a great use once again by separating them and
encouraging social distancing. Moreover, to show some support for the healthcare workers
another poster pays tribute to the doctors and offers free breakfast for them. This shows that
McDonald’s uses innovative approaches every time and has not disappointed during Covid as
well.

13
 13. SUBWAY- Subway Is Safe (1 June 2020)
Another American restaurant on the list of COVID campaigns is Subway. Subway is a privately
held restaurant franchise which sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is located in several
countries but United States has more than half of its franchises located in the country. Subway
India recently came up with an interesting campaign during pandemic. It tweaked the famous
logo of Subway and integrated a face mask in it to promote safety measures during the
coronavirus outbreak. The following images show the pre and post Covid print ads by Subway.

Figure 15: Mask integrated in logo

Subway mostly comes up with attention-grabbing campaigns and offers uniqueness in its
advertisements. Before the pandemic, as it can be seen in the first picture subway is offering
donations to US’s hunger relief organization “Feeding America”. However, in the post COVID
campaign launched in India, Subway tweaked the logo and added a face mask which promoted
safety and emphasized hygiene standards of the restaurant. It is also endorsing the campaign on
social media where safety protocols such as hourly sanitizing and single-use gloves for sandwich
artists are reinforced.

14
 14. MERCADO LIBRE- Elbow Bump (18 Mar 2020)
Mercado Libre is an Argentine company incorporated in the United States that controls online
marketplaces related to e-commerce and online auctions. It has a wide customer base in Latin
America and is the region’s most popular e-commerce site. With a continuous spike in the cases
of coronavirus in Latin America, Mercado Libre has swapped its logo of two clasped hands to
two elbows touching. This change is adopted from the ongoing practice of fist bumps and elbow
touches for trading handshakes. However, the logo also delivers an important message for its
customers.

Figure 16: Elbow touches promoted

Before the pandemic situation, Mercado Libre logo was two people shaking hands, which
indicated a successful deal between two individuals on their e-commerce platform. However,
after the coronavirus outbreak the company, in partnership with GUT Buenos Aires, changed its
logo and swapped the hands with elbow bumps. This change is particularly indicating the
importance of social distancing and the change in everyone’s daily routines. In a statement, the
branding director of the company, Louise McKerrow said that "Changing our iconic logo from a
handshake to an elbow bump is part of these new habits that we try to promote because we know
that together we can help to alleviate this problem." The brand has also changed its logo on all
the platforms ranging from their website to LinkedIn, promoting hygiene and safety during these
times.

15
 15. SOOPER- One Nation against Covid-19 (16 May 2020)
Sooper is a Peak Freans brand and one of the favorite biscuits of Pakistanis. The biscuit was
introduced in the year 1996 and accounts for almost half of the company revenues. Sooper
always has been a priority product for customers and has been able to capture the market by its
advertisement campaigns. In the recent ad featuring several Pakistani celebrities, Sooper intends
to endorse the public service message of staying home during the pandemic. They achieved this
by the help of an ad along with social media posts relating to the matter.

Figure 17: Pre & Post Covid Campaigns by Sooper

Before the pandemic situation, Sooper used a simple ad campaign, Seedhi Saadi Khushi, in
which it emotionally targeted its consumers and delivered the message of peace. The ad talks
about those simple joys in life like enjoying Sooper biscuit with a cup of tea. However, in the
post COVID campaign Sooper released an ad featuring several famous Pakistani celebrities
urging people to continue exercising social distancing. The message comes up with different
other posts on social media where a picture reads “Distance is temporary, Unity is permanent.”
Sooper has brilliantly used this campaign in educating people on safety concerns and asks them
to fight against this crisis. This campaign has been successful because it talks about the main
issue in these times. Also with the tagline Sooper Hai Pakistan the company is promoting its
biscuit as well.

16
 16. AUDI- Keep Distance (26 Apr 2020)
Audi is a German automobile manufacturer that designs, produces and markets luxury vehicles.
It was founded by the engineer August Horch and is currently acquired by the Volkswagen
Group. The company is known for its famous four rings emblem which symbolizes the Auto
Union of four car companies that joined together to create Audi. During the pandemic, Audi, like
many other automobile manufacturers, also launched its COVID campaign and tweaked its logo
to spread awareness regarding social distancing.

Figure 18: Audi separated rings

In the current pandemic situation, Audi and many other automobile brands such as Volkswagen,
Hyundai, Honda and Mercedes have launched COVID campaigns and each of them is delivering
their message of staying at home. Audi did this in a very unique manner and separated the four
rings of their logo. The image attached above is the part of the campaign and reads the message
“Keep Distance” to promote social distancing. The ad released “Audi Together” also shows a car
parked in a garage where the brand focuses on spreading the message of #FlattenTheCurve. It
educates people to hit the brakes for a period of time so that we all could drive through this crisis
together. Audi has also used social media such as Twitter to encourage social distancing by the
help of the tweaked logo.

17
 17. YOUTUBE- Stay Home #WithMe (28 Mar 2020)
YouTube is an American online video-sharing platform which was created in 2005. The site
offers video uploading, viewing and sharing options. In 2006, Google bought the site and it now
operates under Google’s holdings. The company offers all kinds of content for each age group
and promotes entertainment. During the COVID-19, YouTube also shows its support for those
staying at home and delivers an appealing message to its audience by the help of a video
uploaded on their channel. The video is titled, “Stay Home with Me” and urges people to stay
home and save lives during this crisis. The following images refer to the ad campaign by
YouTube.

Figure 19: YouTube Covid Campaign

In the pre COVID times, YouTube generally posted videos about social issues like racism and
other generally discussed topics. But in the post COVID times, YouTube has launched a
campaign which has promoted social distancing and has urged people to do different activities
while staying at home. Because YouTube offers content on all sorts of things like cooking,
studying, jamming and workouts etc, therefore, they have asked people to perform all these
activities while staying home with YouTube. In another video, it also emphasizes on the
importance of wearing a mask and raises awareness on the issue. With all these videos YouTube
is also earning more views on their site besides delivering their message.

18
 18. SPOTIFY- Spread Music Not COVID-19 (26 Mar 2020)
Spotify is a Swedish music streaming provider which was founded in the year 2006. The
company mainly provides a music streaming platform with over 60 million songs on it. Users are
able to browse different categories of songs and create playlists. Spotify has been successful
lately because of its marketing tactics and the brand image it has created so far. The following
ads depict some of the pre and post COVID campaigns by the company.

Figure 20: Pre Covid

Figure 21: Post Covid

Last year, Spotify used some brilliant billboard advertising in which it posted several posters
around the city with hilarious comparisons from the past on how quickly the time has changed.
As in the picture above, the year 1979 has a caption 'London Calling' while 2019 reads
‘Conference calling’. The contrast here is made between famous Clash song and corporate life
which makes a humorous comparison, only for those who remember the anthem. There were
several other posters with songs being the crux of each joke. However, in the post Covid
campaign, Spotify came up with a print ad which reads ‘Spread Music Not COVID-19’.
Moreover, they also launched a music relief program for the music community most affected by
the pandemic which recommends verified organizations offering financial help. By these
programs and ads, Spotify is promoting the use of their app along with spreading the message of
safety and help.

19
 19. LABATT- Make a Difference (19 Mar 2020)
Labatt Brewing Company is a Belgian-owned brewery in Canada. It was founded by John
Kinder Labatt in 1847. Currently it is the largest brewer in Canada and is operating successfully.
Labatt Blue, the company’s flagship brand, is popular in US and Canada and has a stylized red
sheaf of wheat logo which symbolizes “brewing quality.” In the pandemic, Labatt has also
launched a unique campaign where some factories have shifted production from beer to hand
sanitizers and canned water in response to COVID-19.

Figure 22: Labatt shifts production

Labatt, before this pandemic, released ads in which it endorsed its famous Labatt Blue product.
In an advertisement aired in 2019 with the title ‘Seize the Lake’, Labatt marketed its product by
comparing people’s life on and off the lake. It engages its audience and motivates them to
purchase the summer can used on lakes or beaches. However, in the post COVID campaign,
Labatt has taken a bold step and stopped its beer production in some factories and have started
producing hand sanitizers. The company is helping frontline workers and restaurants that are
open. Moreover, in their disaster relief program, Labatt has also produced water cans to help
people affected by the crisis. Labatt has done a commendable job in providing safety for the
people and has also marketed their new product efficiently.

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 20. PEPSI- Millions of Meals till the Nation Heals (18 Apr
2020)
Pepsi is a soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. The brand was originally created in 1893 as
Brad’s Drink and renamed to Pepsi-Cola in 1898 which was then shortened to Pepsi. Today,
Pepsi is famous all over the world just because of its marketing and advertising campaigns. In
the late 1950’s, "Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" was their famous slogan and nowadays their new
slogan is “That’s What I Like”. In the recent campaign, Pepsi has released ads endorsing the
message of safety and social distancing by the help of posters and social media during these
testing times.

Figure 23: Pepsi Covid Campaign

Before the pandemic, Pepsi launched several ads in which is emotionally connected the audience
with either sport or music. In Pakistan, Pepsi endorses the product through music and with the
help of artists creates an emotional link with the product. However, in the post COVID times
Pepsi has collaborated with Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and McLane Global to
provide 1 million meals to rural children and families affected by the virus. Their slogan is
‘Millions of Meals till the Nation Heals’. In collaboration with Global Citizen, Pepsi is also
supporting star-studded concert which will air on different networks for raising corona virus aid.
Pepsi here once again promotes their brand name through music and is also raising awareness
regarding social distancing.

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REFERENCES:
https://digitalagencynetwork.com/memorable-stay-home-ad-campaigns-by-brands-for-covid-19/
https://globalnews.ca/news/6715882/labatt-hand-sanitizer-covid-19-coronavirus/
https://www.financialexpress.com/brandwagon/covid-19-ads-heres-how-auto-brands-are-
reversing-gears-to-promote-social-distancing/1939947/
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/03/26/ads-we-spotify-sets-up-covid-19-music-relief-
support-the-arts-community
https://www.albawaba.com/slideshow/10-innovative-covid-19-campaigns
https://www.creativebloq.com/news/spotify-billboards
https://virallk.com/famous-brands-twist-up-their-logos-to-encourage-social-distancing/
https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/lifestyle/feature/item/8607-major-companies-create-special-
social-distancing-logos

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