Realia Marketing Latest Campaign Calls Out Coronavirus Panic Buyers

With everything that is going on in the world at the moment, what lessons are we really teaching our kids?

The problem?

Luke Pollard, Shadow Environment Secretary, explained the issue: “Panic buying is causing real harm to vulnerable groups and creating anxiety amongst all. We need people to shop sensibly and that is why Labour has been calling for a mobilisation of advertising and PR agencies to create new TV adverts, newspaper, digital and billboard advertising to take on panic-buying. Those who specialise in persuading us to buy products now have the opportunity to save lives with their work. Please step up and help. We need people to do the right thing at this time of national crisis: shop sensibly, stay at home and slow the spread of the virus.”

This was echoed by Tracy Brabin, Shadow Culture Secretary: “Britain has the very finest creative sector in the world. Many people in the creative arts and digital sectors want to help and put their skills to use. We need you now. While our frontline staff help those with Covid-19, we need Britain’s creatives to help the national effort and discourage panic-buying and encourage people to stay at home.”

Our response

The Realia team has answered this challenge and provided our response to combat panic buying, help reduce the spread of Covid-19 and save lives. If the idea is embraced, the Realia team is open for this to be shared far and wide.

The idea for our campaign originated from the popular children’s saying ‘Sharing is caring’. This is a phrase used repeatedly by many parents, family and other caregivers to encourage children to share and respect others. If you happen to be in contact with any young children you know that sharing is a hard concept for kids to grasp and there are many struggles and tears on the way.

But, we’re all grown adults and therefore we should have learnt this lesson a long time ago. But it seems in the last few weeks we, as a nation, have forgotten how to share one of our most valuable resources, food, and basic groceries like soap and toilet roll. While it is understandable to feel cautious and worried, it is not acceptable to translate that fear into stripping shelves bare. We’ve seen and heard countless examples of keyworkers and the vulnerable being unable to find what they need on empty shelves, and we’ve seen social images early on of people proudly showing off their store cupboards.

But let’s look at this from a different point of view – what lessons are we really teaching our children? Countless households are beginning the enormous task of ‘home schooling’ their children. Whether that is with materials provided from schools, live exercise sessions on YouTube or involving them in more practical tasks around the house like gardening and cooking, this new army of home teachers will inspire and support children through this troubled time. Let’s go back to basics and age-old nursery rhymes – a little more light-hearted but with a serious undertone.

The potential for our campaign is huge – from children singing these new versions of the rhymes, to people submitting their ideas for new rhymes for the campaign and adapting the idea to other timely messages e.g. staying at home. We believe our idea can be adapted for print, outdoor, digital etc. Anyone is welcome to use this campaign, and expand on it as they can – if it helps save one life, and encourages people to think twice before they swipe the last paracetamol, then it will have served its purpose!