APAC Brand Reactions To COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 crisis has impacted every sector. Brands are coming up with different campaigns as a response to this global crisis.

Here’s a compilation of some notable COVID-19 brand campaigns in the APAC region.

1. Lazada

Lazada has rolled out a series of initiatives to support Southeast Asian communities in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. It introduced a whopping $2.31 million stimulus package for small and medium-sized enterprises in Malaysia in the form of free access to a range of services, including package delivery to consumers as well as product listing and advertising.

The brand also rolled out certain cash-flow optimization measures, including expedited micro-loan approvals and fixed weekly payments. Stimulus packages have also been rolled out in Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

2. Walkaroo

Walkaroo urges India to #WalkForGood during the lockdown. Take part in the #WalkForGood challenge and do the chair dips activity. For every 2500 steps, the brand donates a pair of shoes to the COVID-19 fighters.

3. Pizza Hut

Many brands have brought changes in their logos or taglines, courtesy novel coronavirus! In this light, Pizza Hut changed its brand logo from Pizza Hut to Pizza Home as a reminder to follow #SocialDistancing. The restaurant chain has also run the #QualityTimeNotQuarantine campaign urging people to be optimistic and see the brighter side of the spectrum.

4. Deliveroo and Zomato

Ride-hailing service provider brands have come up with the option of contact-less food delivery service to avoid human-to-human transmission of the virus and support customers carrying out self-quarantines and social distancing.

5. Meitu

Chinese beauty tech company Meitu has launched a ‘forever free’ virtual make-up try-on system. It is a free augmented reality (AR)-powered tool to help cosmetic companies try and increase the sales of make-up during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

6. PepsiCo India

As a part of PepsiCo's #GiveMealsGiveHope global program for providing community relief, PepsiCo India distributed over 7 out of 10 million meals pledged, across the country through #SmileFoundation, #AkshayaPatra and #CIIFoundation.

7. Deutsche Bank

As part of Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility in the community focus, the bank and colleagues across the Asia Pacific are uniting with communities to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

Right from providing food, isolation shelter and basic supplies in India to feeding the homeless in Hongkong, working in Dignity Kitchen in Singapore, partnering with John Keells Foundation in Sri Lanka, pledging RMB 1 million (EUR 130,000) to the China Charity Federation.

8. SAP Asia Pacific

SAP Asia Pacific opened access to technologies that can help employees, companies, communities, and governments continue to move forward. They supplied more than 50,000 masks and 6,000 litres of disinfectant to 300 care facilities including hospitals and homes for the elderly in Japan together with Operation Blessing Japan.

Similar efforts to supply healthcare were made India, together with NASSCOM Foundation, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and HelpAge India.

9. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola helped combat COVID-19 with optimism and some gratitude in a new advertisement. It accolades all the social workers who have worked selflessly.

10. Carlsberg Malaysia

With everyone staying at home to curb the spread of COVID-19, refreshing kegs of Carlsberg beer have been left unattended at empty bars, leaving business owners in a tight spot.

In a bid to help these businesses reinvigorate sales and get back on their feet, Carlsberg Malaysia has introduced the Adopt-a-Keg initiative. As a part of this initiative, consumers can fill up their virtual keg from its website. All they need to do is, scan the receipt and the barcodes from their purchases of Carlsberg cans or bottles. Once the virtual keg is full, consumers will be gifted two beers on the house that can be redeemed via a QR code at participating outlets.

11. Huggies

Huggies donated five million diapers to National Diaper Bank Network. The brand will also donate $1 million to United Way COVID-19 Community.

12. L’Oreal Philippines

Personal care company L’Oreal Philippines has committed to giving 1,000 safety haircuts for community warriors and medical frontliners. The brand allocated 100,000 skincare and haircare products worth P30 million to be distributed in the Philippines.

13. Singpost

SingPost’s focused on prioritising the health and safety of everyone associated with them. Proud to serve Singapore as the national postal essential service in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the leaders expressed their gratitude and to all team members across the business.