There’s no doubt that during COVID-19, self isolation and being in lockdown hit a lot of people quite hard. As we all now slowly re-emerge from lockdown into our new normals, we observe and reflect on businesses that used their brand to spread care and support to the most vulnerable and deserving in our communities throughout these difficult times.
Whether that be a cafe or restaurant who were forced to close and then donated their unused food stock to key workers or the many community groups that have popped up on social media, organising and checking in on the elderly and vulnerable, running errands and delivering the essentials.
We saw many supermarket brands chose to open their doors for dedicated times to support the elderly and key workers, read more here.
We were also grateful for online providers who would usually charge for their content have been releasing free streams, audiobooks, or other useful tools to help keep the children active, educated, and entertained. Thank you, Joe Wicks and David Walliams and BBC Bitesize, you can find out more here.
Brompton Bikes and Kurt Geiger Shoes both pledged to assist NHS staff by offering them free products. Brompton Bikes gave away free bikes to health service workers and Kurt Geiger gave away vouchers towards shoes for NHS staff.
A national motorhome rental company, Priory Rentals, made their motorhomes available to frontline NHS staff at the Royal Blackburn Hospital so that they could stay in them at the hospital car park because they couldn’t go home to be with their families. One Facebook user commented "Well I certainly know where I'll be going if I need to hire a motorhome! What an amazing gesture!"
The crisis saw craft beer brewer Brewdog and luxury design house Louis Vuitton repurpose their production lines to make much-needed hand sanitiser, which they then donated to key workers and hospitals.
Here at Fluid, we supported Salute the NHS with free t-shirts, this amazing not for profit initiative’s aim is to deliver 1,000,000 meals in 3 months to NHS key workers, supporting them in the fight against COVID-19. We also delivered hand sanitiser donations to local care homes, schools, and charities such as the Dinosaur Trust who research and support children with a rare type of pulmonary artery hypertension. 
There has been no guide on how to navigate these unprecedented times in business, or in life, it’s been new to all of us and we’ve all had to show resilience, react and adapt quickly.
However, the level of social conscience that has been displayed by brands, individuals, and communities will be remembered (for all the right reasons) long after the Coronavirus crisis is over.
There are so many ways that your brand could help your customers, your workers, and your communities. If you need any inspiration our account managers are on hand to help!
