It's easier with beer and Túró Rudi: this is how the Hungarian advertising market reacted to the coronavirus.
Those who stayed at home during the quarantine have adopted new habits in recent months. With the increase in free time, everyone found new hobbies, various quarantine characters emerged: there are home bakers nurturing sourdough and baking fresh bread daily; there are volunteer gardeners who are planting the newly acquired annual plants from the hypermarket for the third time, hoping they will sprout this year. Fitness gurus exist who start a new diet every Monday, but before that, they still indulge in a hefty slice of Hungarian pizza with thick crust on Sunday, because after all, the healthy lifestyle starts tomorrow. The latest TikTok influencers have appeared, the #levelup, #pillow, and #nakedchallange trends have gained ground, and of course, we cannot overlook the experts in binge-watching TV all day long.
Many may have adopted all of the aforementioned characters during the pandemic. I admit, I belong to them as well.
However, if we turn the topic a bit more seriously, the transformation of consumer behavior due to the pandemic brought about the rearrangement of media consumption habits , thus also increasing the time spent in front of the TV., Hungarians watch nearly 6 hours of TV.
according to Nielsen audience measurement statistics
A as a result of the coronavirus, nearly 1 hour has increased in the time Hungarians spend watching TV by the end of March, compared to the week preceding the declaration of the national state of emergency. This means that by the 13th week, the per capita daily TV viewing time jumped from the already high 4 hours and 56 minutes, to 5 hours and 48 minutes.. 1. However, Croatia, Greece, and Italy surpassed the nearly 6-hour duration, not to mention Serbia's outstanding 7 hours and 45 minutes of per capita television viewing time.
3. Alongside the increase in television viewing time, the 4. consumer attitude, 5. and the relationship to advertisements have also 6. transformed 7. during the pandemic situation, which was researched qualitatively by Atmedia and Ipsos 8. in the form of an online forum discussion in April 2020. The research revealed that the role of advertisements had been revalued during this time. According to consumer quotes extracted from the research, 9. advertisements 10. are a kind of 11. compass in the current situation, 12. helping people navigate, reduce their vulnerability, and make decisions. The following consumer quote perhaps best highlights why advertisements are particularly important in the current situation:, 13. "Advertisements reflect our entire lives, sometimes turned inside out, sometimes exaggerated, sometimes humorously, sometimes movingly, but advertisements are about us and our time. The product, service, or brand that is not present in this now does not exist."
„14. They pulled the emergency brake: declining advertising spending in the television market”
15. Despite the increase in television viewing time and the change in consumers' relationship to advertisements, many were forced to pull the emergency brake regarding advertising revenues: many companies
16. halted their marketing campaigns 17. or cut their marketing expenditures. 18. For example, Coca-Cola. 19. also did this, where at the end of April, James Quincey, the company's CEO, announced that due to the negative impacts of the coronavirus on business operations, a significant portion of marketing spending would be restrained, and the remaining budget would be allocated to digital presence. is, where at the end of April James Quincey, the company's CEO, announced that due to the negative impacts of the coronavirus on business operations, a significant portion of marketing expenditures would be curtailed, and the remaining budget would be allocated to digital presence.
1. Based on the data from Kantar and Adex regarding advertising expenditures and the self-reported list prices of media owners, 2. PanMedia estimated 3. net-net spending for the first quarter of 2020. This shows that there was moderate growth in the television market in January and February compared to the same period of the previous year, while 4. in March 2020 5. there was already a double-digit, 6. 16% decrease 7. due to the lack of advertiser activity in 8. television advertising expenditures..
10. Communication is necessary, but it matters how.
11. However, not all companies decided to stop advertising. There were those who specifically created new commercials, radio spots, or informed their customers about actions related to the pandemic on other platforms in response to this period.
12. John Long, 13. the creative director of Ogilvy New York, also emphasized, 14. that in the current situation, people need guidance. Brands do not sin if they respond to the coronavirus situation in advertising. 15. However, it is better if 16. it is not the push-type offers 17. that dominate. Businesses should rather focus on how 18. they help in the fight against the coronavirus, 19. the bankrupt businesses, or the people who lost their jobs, and how they inform people during the crisis., on bankrupt businesses, or on people who have lost their jobs, and how they inform people during the crisis.
For example, one discount chain, Aldi, has also done this in our country, in the "Pay attention to each other" titled film shot with its own employees. But we can also highlight IKEA's simple guide, which was prepared for staying at home..
This is how domestic FMCG companies reacted to the pandemic.
Everyone may already be fed up with the flood of information and advertisements related to the coronavirus and the #stayathome, but the response of domestic brands to the crisis cannot be overlooked.
In Hungary, two beer brands, Borsodi and Soproni, have also come up with new commercials, and the Hungarian curiosity, Pöttyös, has also produced its own advertisement, which aired at the end of April.
Stay-at-home Borsodi situation
A Borsodi Brewery, encourages its consumers to stay at home in its half-minute advertisement, the first in the Hungarian market filmed entirely in home-office, with the help of phones. The advertisement, shot in two days and published on television and online, was created by Mito advertising agency in collaboration with the Borsodi team. The film emphasizes that it is important to stay at home in the current situation. It highlights that joy can still be found in difficult situations, we just need to search harder. The best part is if we do this with a delicious Borsodi beer, as it represents the true Borsodi situation..
The advertisement is subtly branded.. The brand logo and slogan appear throughout the advertisement, while the product placement only appears for the first time in the 10th second of the film, from then on, however, it takes center stage. In the film, the employees virtually pass each other a box of Borsodi after taking a sip from it. The brand name is mentioned once in the film, at the 25th second.
Soproni and the superpower of Hungarians
A Heineken Hungary Soproni 1. The brand also reacted to the pandemic situation. The brand presented the superpowers of Hungarians staying at home in a humorous tone. 2. There is talk of tanning in the apartment, cycling around Lake Balaton in the living room, and helping neighbors as well. However, the main focus of the film is on our superpower: we can maintain a safe distance while still staying close to each other.. 3. The advertisement is accompanied by upbeat music, in which the product appears in the first second. The brand name is only mentioned at the end of the film, followed by the narration of the brand's slogan. The logo also appears only at the end of the half-minute film.
4. In the film, which was shot with phones, the employees are visible. The director,.
5. Marci Nyitrai, assisted in the film's production remotely via video conference, for which a ACG advertising agency 6. behind-the-scenes video, 7. was also made. 8. Pöttyös: #leszmég 9. Friesland appears in the advertisement made with the help of HPS Communications, featuring previously made personal videos of colleagues, as well as footage shot under home office conditions. 10. The film addresses the TV viewer with emotional music and shows what experiences they can have once the virus situation calms down. We can hug our grandmother, meet our colleagues, or even drink from our friend's beer. The film also thanks the heroes of the pandemic for their work.
11. In the advertisement, the subtitles are all marked with hashtags: #leszmégpuszi, #leszmégpacsi, #leszmégölelés. The product appears at the very end of the advertisement. The film is narrated throughout by a male voice, but the brand name is not mentioned during the 40 seconds of the film. The film ends with a female narration, making the last sentence stand out from the rest, the question "
A 12. Will you give me another hug?" 13. The key to survival is adaptation.
14. In the current situation, the reaction time of companies and their brands is exceptionally important. Borsodi reacted the fastest to the virus situation, followed by Soproni and then Pöttyös. Pöttyös aired its new TV advertisement at the end of April 2020, which proved to be late, as the pandemic had already crept into our daily lives since March.
15. It is still unknown what return the many #mindenrendbenlesz, #fogjunkössze, #közösensikerül advertisements will bring to the lives of the brands. One thing is for sure: it is heartwarming to see such advertisements that capture a little slice of our lives and try to bring a smile to our faces even when we are already tired from teaching the Pythagorean theorem to the kids, from video conferences stretching until seven in the evening, or from the burnt bread baked from seven-day sourdough.„”Will you give me another harit?" with a question.
The key to survival is adaptation.
In the current situation, the reaction time of companies and their brands is exceptionally important. Borsodi reacted the fastest to the virus situation, followed by Soproni and then Pöttyös. Pöttyös aired its new TV commercial at the end of April 2020, which proved to be too late, as the pandemic had already crept into our daily lives since March.
It is still unknown what return on investment the advertisement "everything will be fine" will bring to the brands' lives. One thing is for sure: it is heartwarming to see commercials that capture a little slice of our lives and try to bring a smile to our faces even when we are already tired from teaching the Pythagorean theorem to the kids, from video conferences stretching until seven in the evening, or from the abundance of burnt bread baked from seven-day-old sourdough.
It's nice to see something new and different that doesn't showcase the foot pain from climbing stairs, the stomach problems from dining out, or the discounted pork belly in one retail chain's advertisement.
After spending several months at home, most of us probably long to return to our old familiar routine. Every day we struggle with our own demons, our quarantine personas, to make the most of our daily lives. The aforementioned domestic commercials have helped us with this. After all, it's not the strongest who survive, but those who are most capable of adapting.
Are you interested in the topic?
I recommend to you:
- Due to the national state of emergency, Pesti Hírlap is publishing an extraordinary issue.
- Nielsen: Changes in TV viewing trends during the „Corona quarantine” period.
- Ipsos – Atmedia research: The role of advertisements during the period of restrictions.
- Coca-Cola pauses marketing spend over lack of ROI.Advertising spending on the brink of the pandemic.
- During a crisis, brands should let their actions do the talking.
- This is what Aldi employees are asking from you! – unconventional advertisement.
- Stay at home: here is IKEA's straightforward guide.
