The best lockdown advertising of 2020... so far.
Posted by James, 6 November 2020 (7 minute read)
Lockdown 2020 has felt like nothing more than months and months of staying indoors, talking to loved ones through screens and dodging people in supermarket aisles.
Yet I would argue these same months have seen the human capacity for creativity grow and thrive. Many people have adapted quickly to our new way of life, coming up with innovative ways to interact and even make money.
And for me, nowhere is this more evident than in the advertising industry.
I’ve always been appreciative of a good ad. I mean I still remember the gorilla used to advertise Cadbury’s chocolate. I even still know most of the words to the Um Bongo song (‘Way down deep in the middle of the Congo, a hippo took an apricot…’). And that was released in 1985!
So with all this in mind, I wanted to take you on a journey through what I think are the best lockdown ads of 2020. These are not necessarily endorsements of the respective companies or brands. They are more an appreciation of the subtle, engaging ways the ads have been put together using copy, visuals and music.
ITV – Apart. But Never Alone (28 March 2020)
Just under a week into the UK’s National Lockdown, ITV released ‘Apart. But Never Alone’.
This is a beautifully constructed ad (and make no mistake, it is an ad). Using a series of TV personalities – including Gordon Ramsay, Davina McCall and Rob Beckett – ‘Apart. But Never Alone’ acts as an uplifting narrative to counter the recent, dramatic changes in our lives. And being filmed largely on camera phones, the optics certainly resonate with a shared, national experience.
The ad’s central message is to ‘keep talking’ (and keep watching ITV of course!). The celebrity messages are also intercut with a host of unknown faces and voices. This use of ‘normal’ people is a nice touch, reminding us we are in this together, no matter who we are.
Vodafone – Keeping the UK connected (2 April 2020)
It was only natural that telecommunication advertising departments would get creative during lockdown. And as people turned to their mobiles, tablets and computers to ‘see’ people in greater numbers than ever before, Vodafone capitalised with one of the best lockdown ads showcasing the power of connection.
Backed by The Beatles’ iconic ‘Come Together’, it cuts from scene to scene of the ‘new normal’. Whether it’s exercise routines in the garden, bands playing in isolation, or grandparents teaching their children how to cook via video link, ‘Keeping the UK connected’ uses them all.
The ad’s message is simple, clear and designed to pull on the heart strings. Vodafone will work hard to keep you connected to those you love, even when times are hard.
Apple – Creativity goes on (10 April 2020)
In my opinion, Apple have produced some of the best ad campaigns of all time (including this absolute work of art). ‘Creativity goes on’ is no different. It’s clean, simple and easy to access. Just like they want you to think their products are.
Apple knows how to latch onto a moment. How to capture the essence of now. And they do it here in spades, with a montage of people (both well-known and less so) unleashing their creativity using the power of technology, despite all the restrictions we now face.
Of course, the primary aim is to sell the Apple brand. But I’m more interested in the ad’s ingenuity. The way the music compliments the visuals. The way the camera shots cut between aspect ratios to frame the ad’s developing narrative and show off Apple’s range of products. The way the sparing – but vital – use of copy reminds us that creativity really does go on.
Amazon – Meet the team (29 May 2020)
Amazon have made a lot of money during the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean their advertising team aren’t brilliant at what they do!
One of Amazon’s best lockdown ads – and they’ve made a few since March – turns its attention to the company’s sense of community. The copy indeed opens with the inclusive ‘we’, before winding through the ways in which Amazon and its employees are focused on both customer safety and their place in the world.
Backed by the aptly chosen ‘You’re So Cool’ from Hans Zimmer’s True Romance soundtrack, the ad works hard to humanise the Amazon juggernaut. It presents Amazon as a business built by its employees, dedicated to its communities and desperate to keep everyone safe.
McDonald’s – Welcome back (17 July 2020)
After Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me in 2004, I really thought McDonald’s was going to struggle. In the early noughties, the fast-food chain was being blamed for rising obesity in America and around the world. And Spurlock’s documentary film – in which he challenged himself to eat nothing but McDonald’s food for a month – badly damaged the company’s reputation.
Since then however, their branding and marketing has been exceptional. Restaurants worldwide were made over and given a more modern, inviting feel. McDonald’s was rebranded and super-size portions were discontinued.
Their 2020 lockdown ad campaigns have been equally impressive. But the one that really caught my eye was ‘Welcome back’, released at the time their stores were re-opening in the UK for the first time in nearly three months.
The use of camera phones is inspired, the inclusion of Mark Morrison’s ‘Return of the Mack’ the perfect pun, while countless shots of young and old celebrating the return of the famous Golden Arches provides a seamless reminder of what we’ve all been missing.
Probably one of the best lockdown ads of them all in 2020. Creative, engaging and – yes – made you want a McDonald’s…
B&Q – Build a Life (11 September 2020)
B&Q’s ‘Build a Life’ is a brilliant ad, even if it doesn’t make as much of lockdown imagery as others on this list.
We have the emotive voiceover by Rory McCann (aka The Hound!), storylines set over 50 years and an atmospheric soundtrack provided by the Cinematic Orchestra. It’s certainly an ad designed to reinvigorate a nation’s love for home improvement.
‘Build a Life’ tells the story of home. The importance of home. How we build a home. And quite frankly, it does it superbly (a big shout out here should go to Uncommon Creative Studio, who produced and devised the ad).
But what I really like is the subtle way ‘Build a Life’ speaks to our lives right now. After all, home has become more important than ever. It protects us. Keeps us safe. Builds memories.
An excellent lockdown ad and one many have rightly praised.
British Gas – Here to solve (5 October 2020)
A final lockdown ad that really caught the eye comes from British Gas. Released just a few weeks ago, it tells the story of a couple who need assistance with their boiler. Quickly, a British Gas engineer (complete with mask) fixes the problem, ensuring lockdown life can continue in bliss.
Music we know best from the Can Can backs a series of visuals that perfectly reflect life in 2020. We see games of charades, takeaways across the coffee table and the potentially embarrassing perils of working from home.
But it’s the copy that really stands out. When combined with the visuals, the tagline – ‘Keep your home warm and working with HomeCare’ – becomes an even more delightful play on words, both demonstrating the product’s benefits and speaking directly to our lockdown lives.
So that’s my journey through the best lockdown ads of 2020. I’m sure there are many more worthy mentions (maybe even not so worthy mentions!). You can tell me your favourites on Twitter @JWCopywriting or over on my Facebook page.
And if you need great advertising copy, then JW Copywriting Services is here to help! Take a look at what I offer to get an idea of the kind of things I could write for you today. You can then contact me using the form here – I aim to reply within 24 hours.
Next Friday, I’ll be considering the rules us copywriters just love to break!
Until then,
JW