The Best Brand Responses to Covid19 On Social Media
COVID-19 has changed the social media landscape. Firstly, words like #lockdown #quarantine #coronavirus and of course #covid19 have been trending for over a month. Something that’s never happened in the history of social media. Secondly, online behaviours have changed massively in the past weeks. 66% of social media users believe their usage increased significantly during the corona pandemic and online shopping has risen.
Last time in the knowledge center we talked about PR & marketing during a pandemic so do check it out if you haven’t already. In this article, we are looking at the best brand responses on social media. Not only the brands that stepped up to help fight the pandemic. But also, the brands who adapted and responded brilliantly on social media.
COVID-19 Social Media Conversations
Social media conversations surrounding COVID-19 began back in December 2019 when the virus was ramping up in China. In January 2020 we saw the topic volume surrounding the virus gain traction worldwide. In March, topic volume shot up from 5 million to 20 million.
· From February to March, conversations around COVID-19 and unemployment increased by 4,725%
· Social media threads around home schooling surged 2111% month on month
· Discussions about quarantine and social distancing grew 1,188%
· Messages about helping others grew by 1,174% in March, totalling 19.5 million throughout the month.
· Millennials and Gen Z users posted 87% of all positive content posted in March
So, conversations on social media centred around COVID19. BUT, how could brands insert themselves into the dialogue without receiving backlash? It’s an unspoken rule that hashtags about tragedies should not be used to promote products. But is there a balance with Covid19? Here are the brands we think got it right.
#1 The National Cowboy Museum
Information overload on social media surrounding covid19 was definitely a thing. Everywhere we turned, companies were telling us to wash our hands, make masks and look at death toll statistics. It was real but it was also stressful. That’s why we loved the approach taken by The National Cowboy Museum. The museum handed their Twitter account over to their head of security Tim to keep posting about the exhibits. Tim knows nothing about social media and his combination of wholesome but hilarious tweets and posts were the lighthearted content people needed.
Social media users responded positively to the good-natured posts:
Takeaway: Tim and The National Cowboy Museum got a lot of things right. First, they acknowledged the pandemic but didn’t use covid-19 to promote themselves. Second, they continued to talk about their exhibit, something that was fine to do as it was closed. Third, they delivered much needed humour to stressed out social media users. We are sure the museum will see a surge of visitors post pandemic!
#2 UKTV DAVE
Another brand that went down the humour route during COIV19 was UKTV channel Dave. Already pegged as a witty brand to follow, this was a natural step. The brand created punchy channel covers that reiterated the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” message but in a humorous way.
A theme that continued through their posts about social distancing. (Greg Davies is a comedian featured on the channel)
Dave posted humourous and relatable memes about the pandemic which gained huge engagement. This is probably our favourite one below:
Takeaway: Dave is a tv channel and we know that streaming and viewing has surged massively during COVID 19. It was therefore very necessary and potentially lucrative for the brand to have a place on social media feeds.
In addition to posting funny memes, the brand also promoted upcoming shows and best clips from existing programming. These kept audiences entertained whilst also promoting the channel. All images posted are branded. This is key if you are sharing sharable posts as your brand is subtly introduced to thousands more users.
#3 Guinness
Beer brand Guinness was one of the first to address coronavirus head-on. And it did so in a bold move which occurred in the lead up to St. Patrick’s Day. “Don’t worry, we’ll march again,” the narrator says as footage of a parade appears on screen. St Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest events in the Irish (and global) calendar. It’s also the time when Guinness sales spike.
The video beautifully reiterates that the brand has been around for 260 years. It reminisces on all the celebrations, milestones and the strength of the community. It encourages viewers to be kind, support one another and celebrate safely. It also thanks first responders and key workers for their efforts. As such, we think this video hits the mark!
The brand also stole the show on social media with their simple but brilliant ad. The ad replaces the white foam of the beer with a white sofa and the words stay at home forming the base of the pint glass.
Amazingly, the digital poster was fan art and was not created by Guinness! The creation was whipped up by Irish freelancer Luke O’Reilly and shared by the brand who credited him on their Insta page.
Takeaway: Consumers need reassurance and stability during difficult times. They need to know that their favourite brands are not going away. Guinness’ messaging was brilliant, and we loved the line where they stated: “We signed a 9000 year lease on our brewery and we’re not going anywhere.”
Interestingly, alcohol sales rose 55% in March 2020 so promoting an alcoholic drinks brand in a responsible way was very smart. Guinness addressed covid19 head-on in a way that was socially responsible and not too promotional. This won them social media virality and support.
Quick Social Media Tips
- Keep people informed – provide helpful updates on your business including store closures, or policy updates related to COVID-19.
- Don’t be an alarmist – users are stressed enough already so don’t add to it. Be mindful of overly dramatic language and be careful to share well sourced accurate information if you must share it at all.
- Don’t brag- It’s ok to share your charitable donations on social media but it’s not ok to brag about them. Read your updates aloud before posting and if in doubt, don’t.
- Avoid Cashing in - No “Hot COVID-19 sales!” or other tactless messaging. It won’t end well for your brand!
- Stay Consistent – If your brand is known for its humour the try to maintain your tone. That doesn’t mean making covid jokes, it simply means tapping into relatable humour.
Social Media Idea
Provide recipes, how tos or tips for your social media fans. Sainsbury’s has been posting recipes for users to try at home. If you offer home delivery on your products, then this is a great fit right now. It could be a DIY tutorial or a recipe. Both DIY and home baking sales have risen in the past month.
Influencers During Covid- 19
Already falling out of favour, spotlight turned to celebrities and influencers during Covid19. Social media users called for first responders and key workers to receive more glory and observed that we should not continue praising wealthy superstars after covid-19.
And there have been some celebrity shockers during the pandemic. There was Madonna—in a bathtub filled with roses talking about a global pandemic being a “great equalizer”. Yes really.
And then there was the hideously cringe celebrity compilation song, Imagine.
Users called the video insensitive, cringey and completely out of touch with society. Again, sparking the questions “How is this helping?” and “Do we really need influencers?” Below are just a few of the comments:
Of course, there were many celebrities who have stepped up to help the cause on social media. Ellen DeGeneres (86 million followers) has posted funny videos to combat social isolation. She also suspended filming until after the pandemic, writing
“So, after some more thought, we have decided to suspend production completely until March 30th. ‘We just want to take every precaution to ensure that we do our part to keep everyone healthy.’ ‘I love you guys and I can’t wait to come back. I’m already bored.”
Also worth mentioning are Ryan Reynolds (35 million followers) who encouraged donations to @feedingamerica after donating $1 million with wife Blake Lively.
Also, Michelle Obama (37.5 million followers) who posted practical ways to support local businesses and thanked health care professionals.
Brands Who Stepped Up During Covid-19
While some brands above responded to covid19 with humour or support, others stepped up with practical support and donations. Here are a few of our favourites:
Chipotle’s Together Hangouts - American chain Chipotle is hosting virtual lunchtime hangouts on Zoom to help people cope with social distancing. Each hangout will feature celebrity appearances, Q&As and much more.
We also love this idea from Chipotle. The brand delivered 100,000 free burritos to health care professionals featuring fan messages. This was a great way to show they care, drive fan engagement and of course, spark delivery orders which are at an all-time high during the pandemic.
Fashion brand Zara converted its factories to produce cotton face masks and other protective equipment to hospitals and first responders. The company, which is based in Galicia, Spain stated in mid-March that it had: “already donated 10,000 protective face masks and by the end of this week expects to be in a position to ship another 300,000 surgical masks.”
The brand also adjusted its logo to emphasise social distancing.
Other brands to step up include Versace, Giorgio Armani, Bulgari and Dolce & Gabbana who donated large amounts to ICU units.
Dolce & Gabbana pictured below were keen to show solidarity with their homeland Italy. Posts during March featured the company’s commitment to supporting covid19 research, videos of Italy and statements from the founders. The tone was sombre, poignant and non-promotional.
Crocs announced that it is donating 10,000 pairs of Crocs a day to healthcare workers. The brand has been posting photos of healthcare workers wearing its shoes on its Instagram channel.
This was a great way to show off their footwear whilst also supporting a great cause. Promotional? Yes. Unacceptable? No.
