While Renault Group and AXA Insurance Ireland offer car and motor insurance to the returning Irish medics at free of cost, Sony Pictures Networks India, Amitabh Bachchan and Kalyan Jewellers raise a fund for daily wage earners and workers in the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police is back with its latest campaign where Mumbaikars (not the police) do all the important talking. A look at the marketing activations that caught Madhuwanti’s attention:
1. Renault Group
Recently the Irish government put a call out to healthcare professionals in the country and across the globe to sign up to “Be on Call for Ireland” under the current COVID-19 pandemic. Tens of thousands responded, with Irish natives from countries as far as Australia returning home to help out in the frontline to fight the epidemic and alleviate some of the pressure the health system will experience in the coming times.
To make it easier and less stressful for them, AXA Insurance Ireland and Renault Group, along with its dealer network, teamed up to offer them Renault cars with AXA motor insurance for the next two months, at no cost.
The idea was conceived by Publicis Dublin who approached its clients Renault and AXA Insurance, giving birth to the program, called ‘Covid Car Cover.’ The initiative is to acknowledge the exceptional contribution made by returning medics to help the country under distress.
To avail it, these doctors and nurses (who have already returned to Ireland) last month need to sign up for the program on the Covid Car Cover site.
The only requirement from the medics is that they are Irish citizens, and have proof of the fact that they have returned home to support the national response to the pandemic, and that they have a driver’s licence.
Offering doctors and nurses with cars for their hospital runs across the country during this crisis is thoughtful and practical. It’s a mark of solidarity. When both brands and the agency immediately step up to the occasion, it underlines the relevance of categories and sets an example for others.
Campaign: Covid Car Cover
Agency: Publicis Dublin
2.Mumbai Police
Continuous efforts are made by brands on social media to emphasise on the importance of social distancing and self-isolation to prevent the further onslaught of Coronavirus pandemic. Mumbai Police joins the club as it launches #MainBhiMumbaiPolice campaign to encourage people to stay at home and keep a safe distance.
The 50-second B&W film, created by Lowe Lintas, showcases various members of households ensuring their family to stay put to avoid any risk of infection while venturing out. It opens with a young kid at the entrance, telling us that she wouldn’t let her grandmother go to the garden. It’s followed by a man who lets us know that he wouldn’t let his dad go for a walk. Similarly, other family members from different homes voicing similar strict instructions for their loved ones. The film also promotes self-policing as a tool to deal with COVID-19 effectively.
At a time like this Mumbai Police asks the citizens to consider themselves as an extension of the police force by taking on the highly responsible task of self-policing. It instils a sense of responsibility on the citizens’ parts to do their bit in the fight against the epidemic.
Mumbai Police released this film on its Twitter handle on April 2 to convey the message. ‘If you are with us in the fight, joining in by doing simple things from home, you can proudly say- #MainBhiMumbaiPolice’.
Mumbai Police have always been on top of their social media game with their witty tweets and posts. With this campaign where they make every Mumbaikars’ step count in their fight against coronavirus, it further helps to their cause.
But it needs to be widely promoted with the key messaging to ensure the purpose doesn’t get defeated.
Campaign: #MainBhiMumbaiPolice
Agency: Lowe Lintas
3. Sony Pictures Networks India
Sony Pictures Networks and Kalyan Jewellers have partnered to launch a short film ‘Family’. Featuring stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Sonalee Kulkarni, Shiva RajKumar, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Diljit Dosanjh, it’s a PSA conceptualized and virtually directed by Prasoon Pandey.
The 4-minute-35 second B&W film opens with Bachchan calling out his wife asking for his misplaced sunglasses. Dosanjh tries to help him out by teaming up with Kapoor. Both look around the house and ask other actors Rajnikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Sonalee Kulkarni, Shiva RajKumar, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Alia Bhatt. Finally, the sunglass is found and is handed over to Bachchan who points out that none of them stepped out to shoot the film.
In the end, he unveils the reason behind the film to raise a fund that supports the sustenance of workers and daily wage earners (associated with the entertainment industry) who are adversely affected by the ongoing lockdown.
Called ‘We are one,’ the initiative by Amitabh Bachchan is supported by Sony Pictures Networks and Kalyan Jewellers, through which the monthly ration of 1,00,000 households across the country will be funded. The network is contributing Rs 10 crore to support the same.
These are difficult times and a dose of humour doesn’t hurt anyone. So full credit to the SPN, Kalyan Jewellers and Prasoon Pandey for coming out with a PSA in the form of a light-hearted film that not only emphasises on staying at home but informs about the initiative without being preachy. The involvement of iconic actors across different languages in the film spell unity in diversity. And, bringing in Amitabh Bachchan to talk about the initiative and end it with a (much-needed) assurance of the end of COVID-19 lends it a certain gravitas that one can’t miss.
Campaign: Family
