How can brands promote their products or services at this time without coming off as insensitive to the plights of the consumer

Today, we are living in times that almost feel dystopian. There is a sense of scare among the people. The pandemic has shaken our lives and the damage is certainly long-term. Brands have been working hard to prove themselves during these trying times. With a changed marketing strategy and completely different style of advertising, brands have been promoting themselves day in and day out. 

But how can brands promote their products and services and not come off as insensitive towards the customers?

Well, the answer is dark advertising. Dark advertising shows a dystopian or damaged world to the audiences. These kinds of ads have been very useful in today’s times as customers are already living with fear. And using this fear to their advantage, the brands have been promoting their products and services with ease. Fear leads to faster and bulk buying. This fear also assures the customers that the brands are sympathizing with them and they are willing to stand with them in any situation, come what may. Being sensitive towards customers also improves the brands loyalty and builds trust in the minds of the customers. 

What we have also been majorly seeing is that brands are promoting all the products and services as essentials. Be it a simple toothpaste or an insurance policy, everything today is being advertised as a necessity. 

A classic example of dark advertising is the tourism ad for Wuhan. Wuhan as we all know has been infamous as the birthplace of the virus. This city is being promoted as a dystopian place where lot of deaths took place.  There is a lot of sympathy that is being garnered through the advertising. They are showing Wuhan as a fighter city, that rose above and won over the virus.