2020 has brought lots of unexpected changes to the way we live our lives, some of which may be around for the foreseeable future. One of the trends we’ve seen in advertising lately is embracing ‘the new normal’.


As much as it might be nice to forget about the pandemic and pretend that everything is normal (the old normal?), the truth is that we’re all in this together. This is a message that has been embraced by many brands throughout 2020, and we’ve seen some creative and unique advertising campaigns this year.

B&Q: Build a Life

This emotional advert by Uncommon London features real home videos from 69 families across the UK filmed over the decades.

DIY and decorating have been hugely popular pastimes during lockdown, with spending more time at home sparking people to make a few home improvements. However, instead of focusing on how a coat of paint and a new bathroom suite can transform a home, the advert emphasises the memories that are made there.

The line “You don’t buy a life; you build one” serves as a reminder that our homes are at the very heart of our lives, and that we’ve still got plenty of memories left to make.

John Lewis: For the Joy of Home

A playful offering set to the soundtrack from The Muppets, John Lewis brings us a charming insight into a family’s lockdown life.

 

With family members working and studying from home, the youngsters seem like they’re up to no good, surreptitiously moving furniture around and pulling down the curtains. The parents among you likely felt that knotting dread, but it’s revealed that they’ve been creating a stage to perform a show for their parents.

 

With the tagline “For the joy of home”, the advert does a great job of emphasising the family fun and creativity that can be found in amongst the chaos of the pandemic.

Portal from Facebook: Feel there

If you can’t be there, feel there. That’s the message shared by Portal, Facebook’s video calling hub.

 

The advert reminds us that even though we are apart, we can still share our lives with each other. From celebrating birthdays to sharing recipes and keeping up with our regular fitness regimes, the power of video calling enables us to keep going.

 

Finishing with the statement that “when this is all over, we’ll be closer than ever”, this ad tugs at the heartstrings. It makes you want to make sure that you don’t miss out on all those wonderful memories.

Maltesers: Isolation Life

Maltesers released a series of Isolation Life adverts, featuring four women video chatting while navigating the complexities of life in lockdown.

 

From video dating to clapping for carers and trying to steal a few quiet moments away from the kids, these newly familiar moments brought a little light-hearted humour.

 

The final message “We’ll get through this” at the end of each advert reminds us how important the little things like chatting to friends and indulging in a bit of chocolate can be to staying sane in difficult times.

Embracing the new normal build connections

Customers often need to connect with a brand on a practical or emotional level in order to take action and make a purchase. By resonating with a brand, a person is more likely to trust them and understand the benefit of their offering.

 

Marketing uses these connections to show a person how a product or service can make a difference to their lives. This most often comes in the form of pain points, in which a brand shows a customer how they can solve a problem that they have, and emotional bonds, in which a brand builds a sense of community and shared experience with the customer.

 

By embracing the new normal, brands are able to speak to their customers on a personal level. They are acknowledging the existence of these changes, struggles and new challenges, and showing customers that they are considering the current state of the world in their approach.