Jun 8, 2020
6 Brands Using Marketing for Consumer Good During COVID-19
Marketing during a pandemic is risky. These 6 brands got the tone right, using creativity and empathy to promote safety, not just sales.
⏱ 4 min read
By mediareach
Marketing during a global pandemic requires empathy more than opportunism. The brands that stood out in 2020 weren't the loudest, they were the most useful, turning their ads into public-good messages while keeping their tone and identity intact.
Here are six campaigns that did exactly that.
McDonald's - The Unskippable 20 Seconds
At a time when most brands were fighting YouTube's skip button, McDonald's leaned into it. They created an unskippable ad titled '20 seconds you can't skip' that simply showed a person thoroughly washing their hands.
It educated a diverse audience on the most basic safety precaution, maintained brand awareness, and respected the moment, no product push, just a public service.
Burger King - Social Distancing, With Banter
Burger King's famous tongue-in-cheek rivalry with McDonald's continued, but with a purpose. In Paris, they displayed social distancing messages while playfully nodding to their proximity to McDonald's.
They then went one step further with a social distancing Whopper, featuring triple the onions to keep both strangers and loved ones away. Funny, memorable, and on-message.
3. Heineken - Ode to Close
Humans are social animals, and Heineken captured that perfectly. Their 'Ode to Close' film showed archive footage of people hugging, partying and celebrating before lockdown, then cut to the new reality: video calls and balcony chats.
The line said it all: "Now it's staying apart that brings us closer than ever." They even retired their classic sign-off, switching 'Drink Responsibly' to #SocialiseResponsibly.
4. Jeep - Stay Off the Road
When everything stood still, even our cars, Jeep ran an ad showing the front of its iconic grille sitting quietly inside a garage. The message was #StayOffTheRoad.
It encouraged people to stay home while also celebrating frontline workers battling the virus. For a brand built on adventure, telling people not to drive was a powerful act of restraint.
5. The New York Times - Using White Space for Good
Newspapers rarely waste an inch of layout. The New York Times broke that rule with a striking illustration accompanying its coverage of self-isolation and social distancing, using negative space itself to visualize distance.
It was simple, editorial, and impossible to scroll past.
6. Nando's - Cheeky, But With a Hygiene Message
Nando's South Africa took aim at KFC's legendary tagline 'Finger Lickin' Good' with a cheeky tweet reminding people to wash hands and maintain hygiene.
The tweet sparked conversation, earned over 18,000 retweets and a flood of funny replies, proving you can be witty and responsible at the same time.
The Lesson: Empathy Over Opportunism
The common thread? None of these brands tried to sell harder. They used their voice, humour and reach to promote safety, handwashing, social distancing, responsible socialising. They kept brand awareness alive by being useful, not loud. That's how you build long-term trust in a crisis.
Want Campaigns That Get the Tone Right?
Mediareach helps brands navigate sensitive moments with culturally intelligent, empathetic creative that drives relevance and ROI — even in a crisis.
Sources & References
McDonald's, "20 seconds you can't skip" handwashing ad, YouTube 2020.
Burger King France, Social distancing message and social distancing Whopper with triple onions, 2020.
Heineken, "Ode to Close" campaign, #SocialiseResponsibly, 2020.
Jeep, #StayOffTheRoad garage campaign, 2020.
New York Times, Social distancing illustration and white space use, 2020.
Nando's South Africa, KFC tagline parody tweet, 18k+ retweets, 2020.
brands marketing for good COVID
COVID brand campaigns
McDonald's 20 seconds ad
Burger King social distancing
Heineken Ode to Close
Jeep Stay Off The Road
New York Times social distancing
Nando's KFC tweet
empathetic marketing COVID
Mediareach brand campaigns
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy.
SEO Head
Jun 8, 2020
6 Brands Using Marketing for Consumer Good During COVID-19
Marketing during a pandemic is risky. These 6 brands got the tone right, using creativity and empathy to promote safety, not just sales.
⏱ 4 min read
By mediareach
Marketing during a global pandemic requires empathy more than opportunism. The brands that stood out in 2020 weren't the loudest, they were the most useful, turning their ads into public-good messages while keeping their tone and identity intact.
Here are six campaigns that did exactly that.
McDonald's - The Unskippable 20 Seconds
At a time when most brands were fighting YouTube's skip button, McDonald's leaned into it. They created an unskippable ad titled '20 seconds you can't skip' that simply showed a person thoroughly washing their hands.
It educated a diverse audience on the most basic safety precaution, maintained brand awareness, and respected the moment, no product push, just a public service.
Burger King - Social Distancing, With Banter
Burger King's famous tongue-in-cheek rivalry with McDonald's continued, but with a purpose. In Paris, they displayed social distancing messages while playfully nodding to their proximity to McDonald's.
They then went one step further with a social distancing Whopper, featuring triple the onions to keep both strangers and loved ones away. Funny, memorable, and on-message.
3. Heineken - Ode to Close
Humans are social animals, and Heineken captured that perfectly. Their 'Ode to Close' film showed archive footage of people hugging, partying and celebrating before lockdown, then cut to the new reality: video calls and balcony chats.
The line said it all: "Now it's staying apart that brings us closer than ever." They even retired their classic sign-off, switching 'Drink Responsibly' to #SocialiseResponsibly.
4. Jeep - Stay Off the Road
When everything stood still, even our cars, Jeep ran an ad showing the front of its iconic grille sitting quietly inside a garage. The message was #StayOffTheRoad.
It encouraged people to stay home while also celebrating frontline workers battling the virus. For a brand built on adventure, telling people not to drive was a powerful act of restraint.
5. The New York Times - Using White Space for Good
Newspapers rarely waste an inch of layout. The New York Times broke that rule with a striking illustration accompanying its coverage of self-isolation and social distancing, using negative space itself to visualize distance.
It was simple, editorial, and impossible to scroll past.
6. Nando's - Cheeky, But With a Hygiene Message
Nando's South Africa took aim at KFC's legendary tagline 'Finger Lickin' Good' with a cheeky tweet reminding people to wash hands and maintain hygiene.
The tweet sparked conversation, earned over 18,000 retweets and a flood of funny replies, proving you can be witty and responsible at the same time.
The Lesson: Empathy Over Opportunism
The common thread? None of these brands tried to sell harder. They used their voice, humour and reach to promote safety, handwashing, social distancing, responsible socialising. They kept brand awareness alive by being useful, not loud. That's how you build long-term trust in a crisis.
Want Campaigns That Get the Tone Right?
Mediareach helps brands navigate sensitive moments with culturally intelligent, empathetic creative that drives relevance and ROI — even in a crisis.
Sources & References
McDonald's, "20 seconds you can't skip" handwashing ad, YouTube 2020.
Burger King France, Social distancing message and social distancing Whopper with triple onions, 2020.
Heineken, "Ode to Close" campaign, #SocialiseResponsibly, 2020.
Jeep, #StayOffTheRoad garage campaign, 2020.
New York Times, Social distancing illustration and white space use, 2020.
Nando's South Africa, KFC tagline parody tweet, 18k+ retweets, 2020.
brands marketing for good COVID
COVID brand campaigns
McDonald's 20 seconds ad
Burger King social distancing
Heineken Ode to Close
Jeep Stay Off The Road
New York Times social distancing
Nando's KFC tweet
empathetic marketing COVID
Mediareach brand campaigns
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy.
SEO Head
Jun 8, 2020
6 Brands Using Marketing for Consumer Good During COVID-19
Marketing during a pandemic is risky. These 6 brands got the tone right, using creativity and empathy to promote safety, not just sales.
⏱ 4 min read
By mediareach
Marketing during a global pandemic requires empathy more than opportunism. The brands that stood out in 2020 weren't the loudest, they were the most useful, turning their ads into public-good messages while keeping their tone and identity intact.
Here are six campaigns that did exactly that.
McDonald's - The Unskippable 20 Seconds
At a time when most brands were fighting YouTube's skip button, McDonald's leaned into it. They created an unskippable ad titled '20 seconds you can't skip' that simply showed a person thoroughly washing their hands.
It educated a diverse audience on the most basic safety precaution, maintained brand awareness, and respected the moment, no product push, just a public service.
Burger King - Social Distancing, With Banter
Burger King's famous tongue-in-cheek rivalry with McDonald's continued, but with a purpose. In Paris, they displayed social distancing messages while playfully nodding to their proximity to McDonald's.
They then went one step further with a social distancing Whopper, featuring triple the onions to keep both strangers and loved ones away. Funny, memorable, and on-message.
3. Heineken - Ode to Close
Humans are social animals, and Heineken captured that perfectly. Their 'Ode to Close' film showed archive footage of people hugging, partying and celebrating before lockdown, then cut to the new reality: video calls and balcony chats.
The line said it all: "Now it's staying apart that brings us closer than ever." They even retired their classic sign-off, switching 'Drink Responsibly' to #SocialiseResponsibly.
4. Jeep - Stay Off the Road
When everything stood still, even our cars, Jeep ran an ad showing the front of its iconic grille sitting quietly inside a garage. The message was #StayOffTheRoad.
It encouraged people to stay home while also celebrating frontline workers battling the virus. For a brand built on adventure, telling people not to drive was a powerful act of restraint.
5. The New York Times - Using White Space for Good
Newspapers rarely waste an inch of layout. The New York Times broke that rule with a striking illustration accompanying its coverage of self-isolation and social distancing, using negative space itself to visualize distance.
It was simple, editorial, and impossible to scroll past.
6. Nando's - Cheeky, But With a Hygiene Message
Nando's South Africa took aim at KFC's legendary tagline 'Finger Lickin' Good' with a cheeky tweet reminding people to wash hands and maintain hygiene.
The tweet sparked conversation, earned over 18,000 retweets and a flood of funny replies, proving you can be witty and responsible at the same time.
The Lesson: Empathy Over Opportunism
The common thread? None of these brands tried to sell harder. They used their voice, humour and reach to promote safety, handwashing, social distancing, responsible socialising. They kept brand awareness alive by being useful, not loud. That's how you build long-term trust in a crisis.
Want Campaigns That Get the Tone Right?
Mediareach helps brands navigate sensitive moments with culturally intelligent, empathetic creative that drives relevance and ROI — even in a crisis.
Sources & References
McDonald's, "20 seconds you can't skip" handwashing ad, YouTube 2020.
Burger King France, Social distancing message and social distancing Whopper with triple onions, 2020.
Heineken, "Ode to Close" campaign, #SocialiseResponsibly, 2020.
Jeep, #StayOffTheRoad garage campaign, 2020.
New York Times, Social distancing illustration and white space use, 2020.
Nando's South Africa, KFC tagline parody tweet, 18k+ retweets, 2020.
brands marketing for good COVID
COVID brand campaigns
McDonald's 20 seconds ad
Burger King social distancing
Heineken Ode to Close
Jeep Stay Off The Road
New York Times social distancing
Nando's KFC tweet
empathetic marketing COVID
Mediareach brand campaigns
The UK's pioneering multicultural marketing and advertising agency. Over 40 years connecting brands with diverse communities through cultural insight, creative excellence, and intelligent media strategy.
SEO Head