Ranging from charitable social distancing games to volunteer grocery vouchers, the May 2020 social good trends showcase how brands across an array of industries have launched products and services aimed at supporting consumers during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
One notable example is from razor company Gillette who recently converted two of its razor manufacturing plants to produce plastic face shields for medical workers — supplies that are desperately needed to keep these frontline workers safe while helping others. The brand was able to produced and donated 100,000 face shields to various hospital across the nation. In addition, online pharmacy Cabinet recently introduced a pay-what-you-can model to allow struggle consumers access to over-the-counter medicines as well as hand sanitizer at accessible price points.
The May 2020 social good trends showcase the importance of brand presence during times of uncertainty which will undoubtedly lead to brand awareness and long-term consumer retention.
40 Social Business Trends in May
41
Charitable Social Distancing Games
The Stay the Fuck Inside Game Encourages At-Home Fun
40
Free At-Home Digital Gyms
GoodLife Fitness Launched a New Digital Gym Called #GoodLifeAtHome
39
Organic Cloth Mask Productions
etee is Producing Cloth Masks to Donate to Frontline Workers
38
Locally-Sourced Subscription Boxes
The Pop Up Grocer Box Offers Snacks, Body Care, and More
37
Razor-Branded Face Shields
Gillette Produced & Donated 100,000 Face Shields to Healthcare Workers
36
Live-Streamed Horror Houses
The Dark Zone Network Will Live-stream the Conjuring House
35
Philanthropic Face Mask Initiatives
Bravado Debuted a Charitable, Multi-Artist Face Mask Platform
34
Virtual Fashion Show Premieres
Carine Roitfeld's Virtual Fashion Show Will Feature Kim Kardashian
33
Hotel-Branded Virtual Events
Marriott International Launched Engaging At-Home Experiences
32
Charitable Pandemic-Themed Socks
The Friday Sock's Coronavirus Socks Give to Canadian Food Banks
31
Quarantine-Promoting Apparel
Travelzoo and Peace Collective to Celebrate #HomeTodayTravelTomorrow
30
Social Distancing Bbq Ad
Oscar Mayer is Encouraging Social Distancing in a New Charitable Campaign
29
Charitable Virtual Happy Hours
Molson Canadian Launched a New Campaign to Support Local Bars
28
Video Game-Branded Distancing Campaigns
King & WHO Launched the #PlayApartTogether Campaign
27
Free At-Home Coloring Books
by robynblair Recently Unveiled Candy-Themed At-Home Coloring Sheets
26
Virtual Skincare Consultations
Lush Now Offers Personal Consultations for Consumers Over the Phone
25
Pandemic-Inspired Roadside Support
Porsche is Offering Roadside Assistance to Frontline Workers
24
Eco-Plastic Visor Donations
Canadian Brand Cascades Supplies Recycled Plastic for Medical Visors
23
Pay-What-You-Can Online Pharmacies
Online Pharmacy Cabinet is Helping Public Safety Amid Covid-19
22
Pandemic Anti-Domestic Violence Ads
The UK Says NO MORE Fight Domestic Violence Amid COVID-19
21
Volunteer Grocery Vouchers
Aldi Launched a Volunteer Voucher Initiative for Vulnerable Customers
20
Supermarket Food Surplus Donations
Publix to Buy Excess Food From Farmers to Give to Food Banks
19
Small Business Protection Groups
PayPal and Others Joined Financial COVID-19 Relief Efforts
18
Child-Perspective Pandemic Ads
Babyshop's 'A World We Deserve' Shows Kids Hopes Amid COVID-19
17
Student Laptop Donations
Google Donated Thousands of Chromebooks and Hotspots to Students
16
Free Language Learning Apps
Babbel is Offering Free Access to Its App for Students Amid COVID-19
15
Pandemic-Prompted Social Good Ads
Budweiser Revamped its Iconic 'Whassup Bud' Ad Amid COVID-19
14
Branded Hospitality-Facing Seminars
Fever-Tree Canada is Helping Out-of-Work Hospitality Employees
13
Charitable Beer-Branding Initiatives
Camden Town Brewery is Giving Back with its new Heroes Beer
12
Retrofitted Ventilator Deliveries
GM and Ventec Life Systems Delivered Units to Hospitals
11
Grocery-Branded Social Distancing Events
Northgate Market Launched the 'Stay at Home Solutions'
10
Livestream Virtual Tennis Matches
Facebook Gaming is Host a Celebrity Mario Tennis Aces Tournament
9
Affordable Pickup-and-Delivery Services
HeyBryan is Offering Discounted Pickup & Delivery Services
8
Branded Charitable Baking Donations
Good Dee’s Gives Back With New Healthy Food Offerings
7
Free Cross-Platform Music Apps
Roland's Zenbeats Is Giving Users Extensive Free Trails
6
Anti-Fake Pandemic News Apps
Rakuten Viber Teams up With WHO to fight COVID-19 Misinformation
5
Charitable Sleep Product Donations
Sleep Country Helps Canadians with a $1.5M Donation of Product
4
Alcohol-Branded Charitable Donations
Bacardi Pledged £1.5 Million Support for Bartenders in the UK
3
QSR-Branded Charitable Donations
Starbucks Canada Donates $1M to Help Canada’s Food Crisis
2
Charitable Hemp Balm Donations
Forest Remedies is Donating Soothing Balms to Healthcare Workers
1
Charitable Service Worker Donations
RDNC and Young Donate $400,000 to Support Bartenders & Servers
Related Ideas
Mental Health Awareness Totes
ALDO and Kids Help Phone Join Forces on the HEARTTOTE
Exclusive Brand Ambassador Programs
Better for All Seeks to Promote More Eco-Friendly Practices
Gen Z IRL Campaigns
Hinge's Phonebook Encourages Gen Z to Connect IRL for Global Day of Unplugging
Expansive Pride Month Initiatives
The Latest Primark Pride Collection and Campaign are Inclusive
Virtual Holiday Shopping Experiences
Amazon Introduces a New Holiday Shop with 3D Technology
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
Uplifting Social Media Campaigns
Optimism Your Feed Helps Social Media Users Retrain the Algorithm
Viral Social Shopping Apps
The Claim App Helps Gen Z and Brands Authentically Discover One Another
Cosmetic Delivery Services
DoorDash, Sally Beauty and Mac Cosmetics Unite for New Delivery Options
Kind Gardening Pop-Ups
Mrs. Meyer's Compassion Store Trades Generous Acts for Garden Essentials
Employee Fragrance Campaigns
Lidl's Fragrance Campaign Features Local Talent with Celebrity Names
Eyewear Eclipse Campaigns
The Warby Parker Solar Eclipse Promotion Offers Free Glasses
Fridge-Decorating Social Trends
Bed Bath & Beyond Participated in 'Fridgescaping' Trend
Digital Sustainable Food Solutions
Special Projects Debuts Eco Lenses to Help with Decision-Making
Global Handbag Campaigns
Coach's New 'Unlock Your Courage' Campaign Promotes Personal Expression
Social Movement Medals
The Openness Medal by Samsung Invites Gen Z to Share Challenges
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Grocery-Themed Holiday Cosmetics
Benefit Cosmetics Presents the Playful Benemart Collection
Empowering Clean Beauty Campaigns
Babe Original Celebrates Individuality with 'Originally You'
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
Active Lifestyle-Supporting Campaigns
Kellogg's® Vector® Launches the Become Your Player Campaign
Encouraging Jar-Reusing Campaigns
Kraft Mayonnaise's Initiative Encourages Consumers to Repurpose
Esports Mental Health Apparel
Team Vitality Debuts the KARE Merch Capsule to Support Mental Health
Wellness-Promoting Employee Initiatives
DICK'S Sporting Goods Debuts the Summer of Sport Challenge
Mindful-Shopping Campaigns
The Ordinary’s 'Slovember' Campaign Promotes Intentional Shopping
Smile-Reflecting Toothpaste Campaigns
Colgate & Oglivy Create the #FreeYourSmile campaign
Short-Form Soap Operas
Unilever and TikTok Created a Content Series to Target #CleanTok
Giving Tuesday Campaigns
Lush Embraces Giving Tuesday with the Charity Pot and the #92 Shampoo Bar
Hands-Free Driving Campaigns
Ford UK's Social Campaign Shares Merch for the "Passenger Princess"
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Boycott-Supporting Phone Apps
Buycott Helps Consumers Decide Whether to Buy or Avoid a Brand
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Gen Z Sustainability Campaigns
PUMA Recruits Gen Z Leaders to Showcase How They Live Sustainably
Tech Rebellion Campaigns
Lush is Continuing Its Big Tech Rebellion for Black Friday
Advanced Adaptive Retail Experiences
Walmart Unveiled New Retail Technologies at CES 2024
Esports CSR Initiatives
The Global Esports Federation Launched a Global Social Impact Initiative
Togetherness Seltzer Campaigns
White Claw's Grab Life By The Claw Targets the Loneliest Generation
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Tennis Champion Beauty Campaigns
Naomi Osaka Advocates for Maybelline's 'Brave Together Program'
Cancer Awareness CPG Packaging
This Unilever Pink Packaging Marks Breast Cancer Awareness
Scannable Snack Charity Campaigns
This Pringles Movember Campaign Updates the Brand's Mascot
Experiential Social Clubs
Marshalls' Good Stuff Social Club Empowers & Connects Women
Mental Health Snack Initiatives
Pringles Relaunched a QR Design for Exclusive Movember Tubes
Travel-Focused Marketing Guides
TikTok Debuts a Playbook for Travel Marketers to Foster Engagement
Positivity-Boosting Body Washes
method's Good Karma Body Wash Collection Inspires & Uplifts
Value-Based Shopping Apps
Veebs Encourages Consumers to Learn About a Brand's Ethical Values
Eco-Minded Millennial Ads
Coors Seltzer's 'Call to Inaction' Campaign Aims to Save Water
Kindness-Promoting Beverage Campaigns
Culture Pop Soda Partners with Point Guard Derrick White
Interactive Connected Packaging
Asahi Beverages Philippines Debuts a New Experience
Pre-Loved Shoppping Events
eBay's Recommerce Day Champions Sustainable Shopping
Mindful Athletic Brand Initiatives
Nike's 'Wellness Collective' Promotes 5 Key Wellness Pillars
Plastic Waste Brand Initiatives
Roberts Beauty Partnered with Oceanworks to Reduce Plastic Use
Accessible Superfood Beauty Brands
Goop Unveils a New Affordable Beauty Brand at Target and Amazon
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
Gen Z-Influenced Marketing Campaigns
Kraft Heinz is Studying Gen Z's Preferences with New Launches
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Festively Branded Sweater Collections
Unilever and notjust Collaborated on Christmas Jumpers
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Timeless Romantic Apparel
Grey Bandit Offers an Array of Summer-Ready Apparel
Aluminum-Packaged Hand Soaps
Grove Co. Debuted New Branding and Packaging
Food-Themed Holiday Campaigns
Kroger’s 2024 Holiday Campaign Celebrates Food and Connection
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
Wellness-Focused Retailer Ranges
Target is Welcoming More Than 1,000 Wellness Products
Customizable White-Label Consumables
Printify Offers On-Demand Consumables for Brands & Businesses
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
Emoji-Inspired Beer Campaigns
Corona's Emojiless Pledge Fights Digitization & Celebrates Reality
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
Reformulated Skincare Rebrands
Bath & Body Works Underwent a Large-scale Shift to Cleaner Products
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
Performance Organic Skincare
May Botanicals is a New Organic Skincare Brand by Georgia May Jagger
Plastic-Free Personal Care Products
Community Goods Touts Eco-Friendly Solutions and Packaging
Social Marketplace Updates
Instagram Launches a Marketplace to Better Connect Brands and Creators
Retailer Mental Health Initiatives
L.L. Bean's 'Be An Outsider' Challenge Encouraged Time Outdoors
On-Demand Wellness Deliveries
DoorDash and The Vitamin Shoppe Will Offer On-Demand Delivery
Eco-Friendly Gin Brand Apparel
The Gray Whale Gin Sustainable Apparel Collection Raises Awareness
Immersive Digital Experiences
Kraft and Nexus Studios Join on the Immersive Mayoverse
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Revamped Private Label Ranges
The Target up&up Collection Has Been Expanded and Updated
Skin Barrier Support Campaigns
BYOMA Declared May Skin Barrier Awareness Month
Brand Photography Marketplaces
VSCO Unveils a New Marketplace for Photographers to Find Work
Video Game Refreshment Campaigns
The Suntory x Super Mario Campaign is Playful
Wholesome Accessible Kids Foods
Good & Gather Baby and Toddler Foods are Well-Priced
Web Browser-Focused Rebate Programs
Shift is Launching the Toggle Tax Rebate Program
At-Home Healthcare Technologies
Best Buy Health and PwC Strategy& are Making Care More Accessible
Competitive Live Games
April-8 Live Game Let's Players Challenge Friends Across The Globe
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
Odd Bunch Delivers Oddly Shaped Produce to Consumers' Doors
Food Insecurity Retail Campaigns
Asda 'You Buy, We Donate' Benefits BBC Children in Need
Sustainable Medication Expansions
Cabinet Health is Launching 14 Products at Target
Elevated Private Food Ranges
Bettergoods is the First New Store Brand from Walmart in 20 Years
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Loneliness-Combating Social Campaigns
Hinge Launches the New One More Hour Campaign and Fund
Social Shopping Features
YouTube Introduces a New 'Shopping Collections' Feature for Creators
Gen Z-Supporting Benefit Policies
Chipotle Launches a New Benefits Program for its Gen Z Employees
Accessible Mental Health Trainings
Maybelline Brave Talk is an Empowering Five-Step Online Program
Pickleball-Themed Cosmetics Pop-Ups
MAC Hosted a Glow Play Summer Activation in Toronto
Sustainable Supplement Packaging
This New Touchstone Essentials Packaging is Made with Bio-PPE
Irreverent Ethical Soap Campaigns
Pure Rush Soap's New Ad is a Fresh Take on Sustainable Branding
Social Justice Desert Campaigns
Ben & Jerry's 'Make Some Motherchunkin' Change' Campaign Debuted
Inclusive Voting Campaigns
The Body Shop Worked with Apathy is Boring to Improve Voter Turnout
Women-Supporting Clothing Brands
'Sozy' Aims to Support Women and Victims of Violence
Social Media Forecasting Tools
WGSN TikTok Analytics Harness Data, Insights and More
Marketing Social Advocacy Tools
Nut Tree Helps Smaller Brands Boost Their Presence
Friendsgiving Event Series
Butterball and Bumble Foster Togetherness with #FindYourTable
Sustainable Private Label Products
CVS Total Home is Introducing Several New Products
Forest-Protecting Fashion Brand Initiatives
Canopy Leads an Initiative To Save the Forests
Gamified Shopping Experiences
Browse Booster Rewards Coupons for Product Views
Recycling Fashion Promotions
&OR Partnered with SuperCircle for Global Recycling Day in November
Back-To-School Sporty Campaigns
JD's Start Fresh Campaign Celebrates Today's Youth Culture
Toxic-Free Election Challenges
Stonyfield Organic Addresses Both Environmental and Social Concerns
Community-Driven Clothing Companies
'Bombas' Makes a Donation for Each Item Purchased
Sustainable Toilet Papers
Asda and The Good Roll Bring Sustainable Toilet Papers to the UK Market
Artwork-Adorned Reusable Bags
This Giant Food Reusable Bag Campaign Supports Nonprofits
Influencer Management Tools
Ogilvy Offers a Safety and Risk Management Tool for Marketing Brands
App-Based Grocery Discounts
Olio and Gander Introduce a New Deals Section on its Mobile App
Virtual Personal Care Metaverses
Superdrug is the First Health and Beauty Brand to Debut in Roblox
Mental Health-Focused Brand Initiatives
Maybelline New York Partners with WHO Foundation
Empowering Consumer-Centric Campaigns
Which? Launches a Festive Campaign to Empower Shoppers
Social E-Commerce Platforms
TikTok is Launching a New E-Commerce Platform for Consumers
Third-Party Coupon Providers
Instacart Taps Ibotta to Provide Customers with Digital Coupons
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Wellness Discovery Platforms
Wellworthy Helps Individuals Navigate the Health and Wellness Market
Retail Food Expiry Tools
Gander Taps C-Store Collective to Launch a New Service Partnership
Uplifting Virtual Influencer Collabs
The Lennnie x Dove Collab Promotes Body Positivity
Whimsical Hygiene Expansions
Personal Care Brand Clean Age Launches at Walmart Stores
Social Isolation-Combating Platforms
TimeBank by Healthfirst Foundation Has Debuted a New Platform
Women-Led Toronto Florists
May Flowers Flourishes with a Captivating Approach to Floral Design
Comprehensive Business Loyalty Solutions
BusinessQR Helps Brands Build Customer Loyalty
Mental Health Branding Initiatives
L.L.Bean Digitally Detoxed for Mental Health Awareness Month
Inventive Charity Initiatives
Spark Financial's Annual Charity Initiative is for Autism Awareness
Cocktail-Inspired Togetherness Activations
Smirnoff's Global Connectivity Initiative Launched
Social Good Brand Practices
Dignity Coconuts Positions Itself to Combat Human Trafficking
Digital Community-Branded Product Lines
The Girl Math Gang Debuts New Product Offerings
Festive Value-Minded Retail Campaigns
The Spar BIG Deal of Christmas Campaign Launches This Month
Forest-Preserving Brand Initiatives
Three Prominent Chinese Fashion Companies Join Canopy
City-Wide Food Drive Events
VGTNYC Supports City Harvest Through a Food Drive Event
Blood Center Campaigns
Markham Yard Releases the Blood Center Campaign to Inspire Donations
Mental Health Community Engagement
OOt Social Health Recently Launched Its Application
Cost Savings Grocer Campaigns
These Spar New Year Offers Prioritize Value
Team-Based Wellness Challenges
Bright Break Enhances the Well-Being of Remote and Hybrid Employees
Community Cohesion-Promoting Grocery Campaigns
EDEKA Provides Insights of Neighborhood Relations