Insight

Hot Takes: the best and worst brand responses to COVID-19

By Ashtan Moore, Partner and Co-Founder of Model B

Our latest brand research, Communications in a Pandemic: why now is not the time for silence, unpacks what consumers want to hear from brands in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis and shows how certain brand reactions to COVID-19 have been received more favorably by the public than others.

We’ve invited branding and advertising expert, Ashtan Moore, to give us his take—drilling down into what has made some brands rise above the pack in our data. Ashtan is Partner and Co-Founder of Model B, an award-winning digital agency offering in-house creative, web development, and technology-enhanced advertising. We are thrilled to have him as a guest author and thank him for bringing our data to life through his expert lens.

As Ashtan demonstrates, the brands that have risen to the top of public awareness and approval for their responses to the pandemic have one key thing in common:

They are getting creative to take care of their people—whether it’s through financial protection for those who must work or those who can’t at this time, or by physically manufacturing protective gear. It is no surprise that these initiatives are resonating with the public—38% say they want to hear from employees on the front lines in brand communications right now, more than want to hear from CEOs.

Meanwhile, some brands that are doing ‘just okay’ are doing less impressive things but owe their success in public perception to being particularly relevant in this strange time—think streaming or delivery services catering to the stuck-at-home crowd.

For more insights, download the full report here: