Brands endorse social distancing
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, brands alter their logos to spread the message of social distancing
It’s not only people who are practicing social distancing, but also brands. To help contain the spread of Covid-19 and to ‘flatten the curve’, corporates are now urging people to maintain social distancing by rebranding their logo designs.
With social distancing being the need of the hour, corporates such as McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Volkswagen, Audi and Starbucks have been using the opportunity to tweak their logos in an attempt to encourage people to adopt the practice.
On its Instagram account, for instance, McDonald’s India posted a video, which shows the chain’s signature golden arches as separated. “A little distance goes a long way! Stay home, stay safe,” the company captioned the post.
German automaker Volkswagen also posted a video on their page in which their brand’s iconic logo, with its otherwise interspersed letters “V” and “W”, showed as separated. The caption to the post read, “We are #Volkswagen. Thanks for keeping your social distance! #FlattenTheCurve.” Additionally, the Coca-Cola billboard at Times Square in New York shows the letters making up its name spaced out, along with the message, “Staying apart is the best way to stay connected.”
Car manufacturer Audi also jumped in on the trend. Known for its logo of four overlapping circles, the company released a new ad on its social media, showing the circles with some distance between each. Its captioned read, “Stay at home, keep your distance, stay healthy, support each other — we are in this together.”
THE DEBATABLE TREND
The initiative seems to be a temporary one by the above companies, in response to the current pandemic and mostly meant for social-media platforms. But we are told this is not the first time that global companies have indulged in such gestures.
Ramakanth Thumrugoti, Chairman and Managing Director, RBC Worldwide, recalls corporates having come up with similar initiatives even during World Wars I and II, recollecting how companies used their advertising space to educate people about the fuel shortage.
“The fact that top brands have redesigned their logos itself shows how seriously they have taken the issue of the pandemic. Such messages have strong and high recall value on how to survive in the prevailing tough times,” explains Ramakanth.
However, M.G. Parameswaran, former president of Advertising Agencies Association of India and former CEO, FCB Ulka
Brands came up with innovative advertisements highlighting the importance of social distancing
Advertising, criticises the companies, calling their act a mere ‘marketing gimmick’. “Such efforts of tampering with brand logos doesn’t reflect how the brand feels about people. It’s just a publicity stunt in the face of calamity,” he comments.
Parameswaran also believes that while such moves may have made sense during festive seasons, during a pandemic such as this one, it looks insensitive. “I would rather that these companies do something meaningful — perhaps actually help with the on-ground operations, such as handing testing kits and masks. But if they can’t help the cause, they should just stay away,” expresses the brand strategist, who staunchly believes that there is no purpose such moves serve.
CONSCIOUS BUT CALLOUS
Given that a lot of effort goes into advertising and educating people, one can’t help but wonder how effective such ad campaigns can be.
Another expert we spoke to opined that while the efforts may not necessarily trigger immediate sales, the brand certainly manages to establish an emotional connect with the customers and more so if they can chip in to help during crises.
Dr P. Shahaida, professor and area chairperson-marketing in the Centre for Management Studies (Hyderabad), adds to the above perspective.
“Brands are a part of our life, and many of us look at brands as personalities, and brands need to walk the talk. So, apart from educating people, if they can show some solidarity and contribute in their own way during such outbreaks, people will connect better with them. In fact, people might become even more loyal, which will, in turn, lead to greater sales at a later stage,” Dr Shahaida shares.
The fact that top brands have redesigned their logos itself shows how seriously they have taken the issue of the pandemic. Such messages have strong and high recall value on how to survive in the prevailing tough times — Ramakanth Thumrugoti,
Chairman and Managing Director, RBC Worldwid