5 COVID-19 ads that stood out from the crowd

One industry that had more than enough work during the COVID-19 crisis was the advertising industry. The pandemic changed almost everything about life overnight, which meant carefully planned ad campaigns suddenly felt out of touch, tone-deaf or dated.

So what do you do when your brand needs a new ad, right now, and you can’t film anything in person?

Many turned to the standard touchy-feely playbook: Use existing footage, add a sad piano soundtrack, a touching voiceover, and call it a day. In the weeks after the crisis hit, this type of ad became so ubiquitous that a YouTube creator made a 4-minute supercut called “Every Covid-19 Ad Is Exactly the Same,” and the evidence he compiled is pretty compelling.

Still, not every ad followed the formula, and even a few of the ones that did found ways to break through the noise and connect in novel ways.

Here are five spots that did it right.

Apple: “Creativity Goes On”

Yes, there’s a soft piano playing, but the differentiator in this spot is that the photos and footage compiled feel like an authentic snapshot of life in this moment—or at least, a rose-colored glasses version of it. The mix of celebrity cameos and real people is pitch-perfect, and while the role of Apple products in creating human connections is visible, the human element is what’s celebrated, and that’s why it works.

AT&T: “AT&T Is Keeping Students Connected”

Yes, a coronavirus ad can be energetic and clever. The names of the “schools” (Aimee Cho Learning Center, etc.) first caught my eye, and the more I watch this spot, the more I like how the soundtrack is just right for capturing the delightful chaos of families trying to balance distance learning and working from home—made possible by AT&T, of course. The lesson here: In a sea of melancholy piano tunes, be an AC/DC song.

Nike: “Play for the World”

In grainy black and white, Nike’s latest ad intersperses footage of at-home workouts from LeBron James, Ramla Ali and others with eerie shots of empty basketball courts and stadiums. Nike is no stranger to making a statement with its ads, so it shouldn’t be surprising that its “Play for the World” spot goes much farther than most in not just showing pandemic life but encouraging people to stay home, not just for themselves but “for 7.8 billion people.”

RE/MAX: “Together We Will Rise Above”

A universal message and a simple concept that effortlessly leans into the Re/Max icon of a hot air balloon. Most brands would feel compelled to say more about how they are there to help; this spot works because precisely because they resisted that pressure.

McDonald’s: “An Honor”

While this ad itself isn’t groundbreaking or high-concept, the decision to give away free meals to medical personnel and first responders enabled McDonald’s to position itself not only as supportive of these vital members of our communities but also as a brand that real people love. Everything about this initiative was smart, and this ad just emphasizes how something as simple as sharing photos of real people eating your food can have a surprising impact.