Lockdown’s 5th Anniversary: the standout campaigns revisited

The Covid lockdowns took place five years ago this month. But does the creative from this dubious landmark still hold up?

There’s still a collective amnesia around the lockdown era. But while your obsession with banana bread baking and Joe Wicks might be a faded memory, how about the defining campaigns from the period?

As brands were forced to adapt and innovate their marketing strategies, aligned with their working habits, there are a few things we can learn about effective messaging.

Unexpected consequences highlighted

The decision to lockdown was always going to prompt some unexpected perils. Cheil Romania was behind a campaign to support the work of ANAIS, the anti-domestic violence association, with a campaign that warned of the dangerous escalation of abuse that the lockdown has already incited.

Three heartbreaking films and three new print executions with the hashtag #IsolateViolence urged people to call the emergency services if they heard anything suspicious.

The films take the statistics and graphics that have become familiar in the news in relation to the coronavirus epidemic and provide an alternative version that highlights the increase in domestic abuse that inevitably occurs in parallel with the spread of COVID-19 and enforced social isolation.

Coping strategies

A new way of living called for a new set of rules. During the first couple of weeks of lockdown, millions living in a world of social distancing were working out how exactly to accept this new normal during extraordinary and anxiety-inducing times.

Mental health charities like CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) saw the immediate effects on the nation's mental health with sharp increases of a reported 37% to an already at-capacity life-saving helpline.

So, to spread the word that CALM was on hand for those who needed it, while raising a smile and staving off boredom and the frustration around a new-normal Friday night out spent in the house, working with Hope&Glory to kick people's weekends off in style, The CALM Friday Night Lock-In was born.

Stay back

At the end of March 2020, the United Nations put out an international ‘call to creatives’ to help communicate six key messages to the world’s population – one of which was the importance of physical distancing in helping to prevent the spread of Covid.

But rather than just telling people how to act, creative agency We Are Social really wanted to bring the issue of physical distancing to life and enable people to put it into practice in real time.

It gathered its creative team in London and put their heads together and, as a result, it launched 'Snap Safe' - a new Snapchat AR Lens to help people keep a safe two-metre physical distance in public during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Snap Safe Lens used proximity Augmented Reality technology to show exactly how far away people need to stand from other members of the public when out and about during lockdown.

As the filter opened in Snapchat, it counted up to 200cm to help cement the safe distance in the user’s mind. The design of the Lens, and supporting branding, is based on the bold, black-on-yellow motif of physical safety barriers and warning signs. If people get too close to the user, the Snap Safe AR Lens displays a warning which states: ‘STAY BACK. SAVE LIVES’.

Embracing empty streets

In uncertain times there is opportunity. 

Snack brand Emily Crisps launched its first outdoor advertising campaign just as the UK entered lockdown, resulting in minimal foot traffic to view its ads. Instead of viewing this as a setback, Emily Crisps turned it into a humorous social media moment by sharing images of its ads on deserted streets, captioning them with: "Oh the irony. Our very first Emily outdoor ad campaign goes live around the UK today... and we hope none of you guys will see it!"

This candid approach resonated with audiences online, leading to increased brand visibility.

On message

Given its vast new powers, some bold messaging was opted for by those in charge. In January 2021, the UK government launched a poignant campaign titled "Can you look them in the eyes?"

Developed by the advertising agency MullenLowe, the campaign featured close-up images of NHS workers and COVID-19 patients, urging the public to adhere to lockdown measures. The emotive visuals and direct messaging aimed to reinforce the gravity of the situation and the collective responsibility to curb the virus's spread.

Missing ingredient

On the upside of the lockdowns (perhaps we’re reaching here), there was a chance for a bit of solidarity and time to learn a few new skills. 

KFC ran a ‘We Miss You Too’ campaign with Mother London after the forced closure of restaurants. The brand released a campaign acknowledging the void left by its absence, engaging fans by sharing user-generated content of people trying to recreate KFC’s famous chicken at home, celebrating their attempts with warmth and humour.