There were saucy ads during the height of the lockdown, such as a campaign from the clothing brand IVRose for booty-baring pajamas. But PJs were just the thing for the homebound culture of the quarantine, meaning they fit in with the many commercials featuring melancholy shots of people separated by windows and glass doors.
With the latest crop of ads, companies are betting that people are eager for human contact.
“It’s pretty obvious that post-pandemic life is on the horizon,” the Suitsupply founder Fokke de Jong said in an interview. “We’ve done social distancing for long periods of time, and that’s conditioned people to be fearful of social interactions, which is totally understandable. But we wanted to show a positive outlook on a future where people can get back together and get close again.”
The campaign, which will run largely online, was filmed in Europe with existing couples and following pandemic production protocols. Mr. de Jong hopes the ads will drum up interest in Suitsupply clothes, which he said are not meant for the work-from-home life.
“That time is coming again,” he said. “We’re going to get rid of the sweatpants pretty quickly.”
Other companies are also betting that people will soon be more focused on how they look. Urban Outfitters is seeing more demand for dresses and other “going out-type apparel.” Gym memberships and body waxing appointments are on the rise.
Now ad makers are reacquainting customers with the idea of a world where hugs and crowded parties are not out of place — though not without some wariness. Neal Arthur, the chief operating officer of the ad agency Wieden + Kennedy, said that “every single one” of the company’s clients is seriously considering what is appropriate to show and when, now that an end to the pandemic seems to be in sight.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/07/business/media/post-pandemic-ads.html
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