Social distancing has officially been adopted by corporate marketing strategists, and this shift isn’t exactly being welcomed into the public sphere.
We’re living in strange times, and COVID-19 has spread globally. To “flatten the curve”, it’s important to follow national health advice. Coronavirus is generally not as fatal for younger people, and can actually be quite asymptomatic. Still, anyone can be a carrier of the disease, passing it on to more vulnerable people, like the elderly and the immunodeficient.
To keep the spread of this disease to a minimum, everyone should stay away from those who they don’t already live with. The phrase “social distancing” is now a popular one; individuals should stand six feet apart when out in public. This term has become so ubiquitous that it has actually begun impacting brand marketing.
Interestingly, McDonald’s started incorporating social distancing into their marketing. Some of their marketing imagery involves the separation of their famous golden arches. This upset of branding appeared primarily in the countries of Brazil and India. But this move may seem quite inventive and perhaps helpful, but has also been widely criticised.
Some experts are worried that this kind of branding can actually decrease how seriously the public takes this issue. Douglas Sellers, the executive creative director for Siegel+Gale told CNN Business that:
[…] brands designing social distancing logos have the potential to diminish the severity of what we are going through. The creativity, passion, and thought that goes into wanting to help, educate, and be part of the physical distancing movement is a worthy note.
via CNN Business
At this time, the best possible way to actually help solve this issue is to offer tangible service. For instance, many clothing companies are manufacturing and distributing masks to healthcare workers. Maybe, to help contain the spread of disease such as this one, McDonald’s can consider offering paid sick leave to their workers.
Image via Twitter
