The year 2020 was an eventful one for investments and commercial firms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many firms had to adapt quickly to the changing landscape and find innovative ways to attract investments. In this article, we will analyze some of the most effective investment commercials in 2020 and how commercial firms pivoted their messaging and value proposition to secure funding despite global uncertainty.
During the height of the pandemic, travel and hospitality companies produced commercials emphasizing health and safety assurances as well as flexible cancellation policies. Tech startups focused on how their products enabled remote work and virtual collaboration. Commercial real estate firms highlighted the resilience of their assets. Across industries, empathy, adaptability and long-term viability were key themes in investment commercials. Firms able to reorient their services and articulate an understanding of people’s evolving needs were best positioned to attract investor confidence.
Travel firms focused on safety and flexibility in investment commercials
The travel industry was among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with plummeting demand for flights, hotels and tourism activities. To attract investment, major travel brands created commercials emphasizing their health and safety measures as well as flexible rebooking policies. For example, Hilton’s ‘To New Memories’ commercial depicted stylized renderings of sanitizing practices and social distancing in their hotels. Marriott highlighted their ‘Commitment to Clean’ protocols. Airlines like Delta and United reminded viewers about hospital-grade air filtration systems on their planes. While acknowledging the challenges of the moment, these commercials attempted to provide reassurance that travel could resume safely. They targeted investors by demonstrating an understanding of changing consumer priorities and a commitment to restoring traveler confidence.
Tech startups highlighted remote work capabilities
With offices closing down in 2020, there was a surge in demand for digital collaboration tools and remote work tech. Startups in this space leveraged investment commercials to showcase how their products enabled virtual teamwork, meetings and events. For example, video conference platform zoom emphasized the reliability and security of their service in the sudden shift to remote work. Collaboration apps like Slack, Asana and Monday.com created commercials demonstrating their user-friendly interfaces and ability to streamline team communication. By highlighting their alignment with emerging remote work needs, these tech startups were able to attract significant investor interest despite the unstable economy.
Commercial real estate stressed resilience
The pandemic raised doubts about the future viability of office spaces, retail centers and other commercial real estate assets. In response, REITs and property managers created commercials assuring investors in the resilience of their properties. For example, office REITs like Boston Properties asserted that demand for collaborative workspaces would endure despite remote trends. Retail REIT Macerich’s ‘Shop Safe’ campaign focused on heightened sanitation efforts in their shopping centers. Industrial REITs like Prologis emphasized e-commerce fulfillment capabilities. While acknowledging the pandemic’s impacts, these commercials expressed confidence in the long-term staying power of commercial real estate assets.
2020 saw commercial firms across industries carefully pivot their investor messaging to fit the climate. By focusing on safety, flexibility, remote work capabilities and resilience, companies were able to maintain investor confidence despite the uncertainty.