Orbit created the first Post-Covid advertisement

It may sound surprising at first, but post-COVID advertising is not a 2021 phenomenon. Following a brief sigh of relief last summer, the American advertising industry – cautiously, of course – has already begun to celebrate the return to normal life.

By the spring of 2021, it seemed like the time had come for big companies to include the celebration of the old-new world among their themes. Orbit (in America and among the Brits: Extra) gum released the first post-COVID advertisement:

The Orbit For When It’s Time („When the time comes”) titled, opening celebration video has an incredibly simple basic concept. The online life is over, we can meet again with long-lost neighbors, friends, family members, and colleagues, so we really need a breath of fresh air. In the introduction, we find ourselves in an exaggerated (almost post-apocalyptic) present, where our bearded, dirty, pajama-clad, disheveled protagonists are spending their almost unbearable monotonous lives in quarantine. The characters are amusing in themselves. Everyone can somewhat identify with the feeling of dilapidation and grayness during confinement, thus the first few shots bring a self-ironic smile to our faces. At this point, the boxy-voiced radio host arrives in the story, announcing that the normal world is returning, meetings are allowed, and doors can open.

Our protagonists, who initially receive the news with disbelief, rush joyfully into the open air, crowds flood the streets, parks, and even the offices. The first kiss and the tearing down of overgrown vegetation from the office door feel like a true catharsis - Céline Dion „It’s all coming back to me now” the song whips up emotions as if it were born to be the anthem of leaving quarantine.

The advertisement was created by the Energy BBDO creative agency, which has also worked for companies like Jack Daniel’s, Claritin, and Kerrygold. The company's two creative directors, Josh Gross and Pedro Pérez, commented on the film's basic idea:

„When the time comes, we will not just quietly step out of our front door, pick up the newspaper, and walk into the office. We will return with overwhelming force and help the world shine again.”

Orbit: long-term strategy

In Great Britain, the Orbit advertisement was part of a longer, year-long campaign. In the first quarter of 2021, the company mainly directed its marketing resources towards Generation Z with a campaign called “Make Dating Shine Virtually,” which was conducted with the involvement of celebrity dating guru, Sophie Hermann. During the summer, the company was the sponsor of the 2021 season of Love Island. The joy of the opening fit perfectly with the 2021 dating theme, organically fitting into the company's year-round communication. The main goal of the company is to bring chewing gum back into public awareness, as globally, much less gum was consumed during the pandemic due to fewer meetings and the closure of restaurants.

Chirag Shah, the Orbit Brand Manager, commented on the film:

“I am very pleased that we created an advertisement that humorously and exaggeratedly showcases people's moods. I hope it will make many smile and keep chewing gum in the minds of consumers this long, important summer.”

The genre-defining idea

Personally, I really like the Orbit advertisement—mainly because the idea is so simple yet very effective. Orbit outpaced its competitors and created a genre: in the noise of advertisements, this timely, impactful, post-COVID message proved to be a strong card.

Creating a genre required speed, proper timing, and of course, an effective, original creative concept. It is just the icing on the cake that despite the comedic exaggerations of the advertisement, it is heartwarming. This worked excellently in the spring's hopeful atmosphere. The great choice of song further strengthens the funny yet touching story. The creators paid attention to proportions and details: the product is not „shouted over,” but is present throughout the story. I believe Orbit and Energy BBDO did a great job and set a real example of how to do this genre.