The Brands Who Do It Best (A Hat Tip to the Greats)
- By
- April 20, 2020
- Agency
The fight against COVID-19 has been long and hard and we all have been conscripted to join the fight in one way or another. Whether it is our health care workers on the front lines, essential workers keeping society together, or those of who are social-distancing; all of us have a role in this. We at RBA love all brands; the brands we work with, the brands we build, and the brands that lead the way as marketers. In this blog, we wanted to tip our hats to a few brands, some that we work with. that are doing great work to aid in the fight against COVID-19.
BNSF Logistics
Chosen by Jon Buchner, Partner VP, Business Development
I’d like to highlight BNSF Logistics for my hat tip. Throughout this crisis their team has adapted to the changing circumstances around them and created content to reflect what’s important today. They have taken a few different approaches that really resonate with the times.
The first area I’d like to point out is a focus on truckers. They’ve been sharing relevant information such as discounts on hotels for the Trucker’s themselves as well and stories of what it’s like being a trucker through COVID sharing their experiences to a wider audience. Side note: Being a trucker through COVID is an adventure to say the least!
The second area of focus is on BNSFL’s culture. They’ve been sharing behind the scenes photos, specifically around their new “normal,” by showcasing their team members’ home work spaces in their CRIBS series. These glimpses into the lives of the employees humanize an organization known for precision in logistics.
The third type of content that deserves highlighting is the creative logistics around COVID response. Stories like getting PPE from Virginia to the deck of the USNS Comfort along with other creative solutions to the challenges that arise daily.
Creative Problem Solving:
Trucker Focus:
BNSFL Culture:
Anheuser-Busch
Chosen by Matthew Coleman, Account Coordinator
Going to school in the state of Missouri exposed me to the Anheuser-Busch brand. Budweiser and Bud Light were typically the beers of choice, my friends and I went to baseball games at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and I’ve toured their brewery more times than I care to admit.
In May of 2011, a massive EF-5 tornado hit the town of Joplin, MO and did $2.8 billion in damage to the city. Schools were destroyed, houses were leveled, and families were displaced. Two days after the tornado, Anheuser-Busch had truck loads of water and supplies en route to Joplin to assist those who were affected. There was no build or massive public relations campaign, just bold, swift, and decisive action.
In times of turmoil in the country, the brand I always look up and forward to their response is Anheuser. With Anheuser Busch, it always feels like I never have to wonder or worry about if they are going to join the fight or not.
At the onset of the Coronavirus outbreak in America, consumers began hoarding and stockpiling hand sanitizer and it quickly became widely unavailable along with many other goods. In order to fight the shortage and ensure that hand sanitizer was available to those who’d need it most where it mattered the most, Anheuser-Busch began producing hand sanitizer. Now that COVID-19 has changed the way that we live for now, Anheuser-Busch steps in to provide aid once again – giving them my hat tip for being one of the great organizations to respond now, and during previous times of societal hardship..
Ford Motors
Chosen by Cedric Lyons, Junior Editor
As the COVID-19 Pandemic spreads, more individuals show how they can help in the fight against it. The logos we have grown accustomed to on our clothes and accessories have stepped up in more ways than any of us could have imagined. In this time of needing more ventilators in the healthcare sector, Ford Motor Company has become one of many hoping to make a difference.
Ford Motor Company, an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures and distributes automobiles across six continents and has about 175,000 employees. On one end, in the late days of March, Ford announced their partnership with 3M to increase production of 3M Powered Air Purifying Respirators, as well as collaborate on a new design supported by parts from both companies, to meet the demands of first responders and healthcare workers. On the other end, Ford and GE Healthcare are collaborating to scale the production of ventilators, arming clinicians with the necessary medical equipment needed in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
When it comes to stepping up to the plate, 3M, GE Healthcare, and Ford have shown with their actions what it means to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Over the past few months, things have been hard. Our favorite restaurants have closed, stores are shuttered, and our children can’t go to school anymore. We have had to change almost every aspect of our lives in order to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Brands like Anheuser-Busch, BSNF Logistics, and Ford Motors are invaluable in the efforts to help their customers and communities through these hard times and thus we tip our hats to them.
