The 8 Best Ads From the Coronavirus Lockdown, So Far

This is a weird time for advertising. As with Sept. 11, 2001, an event has occurred which has shaken our belief in our occupation, our future and our country. And yet, as with the early days after 9/11—another major news event that for a while upended our natural discourse—many advertisers appear to be caught with nothing to say.

Of course, after 9/11, we saw Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, Volkswagen’s The Force and Bud Light’s Dilly Dilly, among other memorable and iconic campaigns. So it’s hard to believe that the industry has been left speechless.

According to EMarketer, first-half ad spend will fall 22.3% to 29.3% — or $10 billion to $12 billion. In the first half of 2019, broadcast and advertisers spent $33.9 billion. EMarketer now estimates that TV networks could collect $24 billion to $26.3 billion in the first six months of this year.

In addition to lower spending, the Coronavirus has brought caution and fear into advertising. Many fear that the worst is yet to come.

In fact, if you look closely you can find good ads that came after the coronavirus pandemic hit. Some even show a bit of the humor and humanity that got your respect in the first place. Here are eight of the best:

Guinness “St. Patrick’s Day.” Amidst all the frenzied precautions in mid-March, Guinness offered the following comforting sentiment: “A while back, we signed a 9,000-year lease on our brewery…” The key is that the ad acknowledges the changes Coronavirus has wrought, but also points to a spirit of resilience. 

Apple “Creativity Goes On.” Apple’s commercial format should be played out right now. Instead it’s comforting. This ad shows the U.S. during coronavirus lockdown. There’s some people social distancing at a park and John Krasinski putting together his Some Good News web show. And, of course, there’s Oprah. Beneath it all is a positive message: You can still be creative.

Burger King One of the few advertisers to strike the right tone during this lockdown, Burger King revels in the absurdity of staying home and watching TV to be a responsible citizen.

 Coors Light  America #CouldUseABeer. Another ad that gets the tone right. A narrator bemoans the “sucky, suck, suck, suckiness of historic proportions” of today’s crisis. It’s appropriately downbeat, but with enough wit to drive the point home.

Domino’s The pizza chain pays tribute to the 1983 film Risky Business with a nod to its oft-parodied singing-into-hairbrush moment. Not the most original, but it does get across Domino’s promise of “Contactless Delivery.”

Uber “Thank You For Not Riding.” The rare ad thanking consumers not to use its product, Uber provides a heartfelt message that reflects well on the brand.

AT&T “AT&T is Keeping Students Connected.” A slice-of-life, 2020 style from AT&T, which has a legitimate claim to helping keep students connected to their schools.

Budweiser “One Team” Budweiser urges us to set aside petty divisions amid visions of empty stadiums, front-line workers and other signs of the pandemic.