"Stay safe", "We're all in this together", "During these uncertain times...", "We're working hard to keep our customers and employees safe". I could go on, but if you want more, just turn on your TV or radio and wait for an ad break.

While these messages are important at a time like this, they're all a bit… same-ish. Take away the logos or slogans at the end of the ads and it's just 3-5 minutes of PSAs. Everybody seems to have forgotten that their brand has, or at least had, a unique personality and tone of voice. Worse still are the brands that come across as simply taking advantage. I heard a radio ad for an insurance company last week that tried to sell "certainty in uncertain times". I mean, if that doesn't leave a bad taste…

So what's the solution to all of this? We've never experienced anything like this before, ever. Honestly, your guess as to how to navigate this is as good as mine, but here's my guess anyway: remember the basics of your brand. You can still be responsible and tell your customers that you care, but try to do it in a way that only your brand can (and don't take advantage by selling!). If you call your friend for comforting advice, it's because you expect certain things from that friend–their personality, their sense of humour etc.–and brands are no different in this regard. At a time when there's more brand-focussed advertising than I've ever seen or heard, it just seems a missed opportunity that there's very little actual branding.

With extra time on my hands these days, I decided to mock up some examples to show how this might come to life. I've never claimed to be a designer, so please reserve any ridicule for the copywriting (which may also warrant it). Enjoy!