Making light of the social distancing situation, Emily Snacks’ campaign across bus stations in London features amusing copy such as: “Our first ever poster, seen by a runner and one pigeon. Typical”, and “Hmmm… maybe we should have made a TV ad instead”. Its product – veg crisp sticks – sits under the copy in the ad, which has been received well on Instagram; one person commented: “Brilliant! People who do see it will get a bit of a laugh and remember it better now!”

The ad comes at a time when some brands have come under fire for using the same tired tropes over and over again in their COVID-19 ads: soft piano music paired with phrases like ‘in times like these’, ‘more than ever’, and ‘home’.

The ad comes at a time when some brands have come under fire for using the same tropes over and overFacebook (2018)

With 32% of Britons fearful of the future post-COVID-19, comical ad campaigns can provide relief from the realities of lockdown. Especially since the nation’s mental health – not to mention medical health – is being impacted, too. Some 24% of Britons feel more lonely than usual, and 26% of them aren’t sleeping as well, according to YouGov, and humour can serve as a natural release from these scary truths.

Even before the outbreak, people were becoming increasingly wary of marketing tactics cloaked in ‘green’ initiatives, or ads that pulled on people’s heartstrings in a manipulative way. Similar to Emily Snacks, Snickers released a self-aware ad during the Super Bowl that encouraged viewers to share a laugh at the expense of ad-land.

Sophie Robinson is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8. She has a degree in social anthropology from the University of Manchester. A lover of people watching, when not working she's usually taking photos or glued to a documentary.