“Coronavirus Commercials Are Everywhere, Here's What Advertisers Want Us to Think“ — The New York Times, 2020, 4:50 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7ksviRHd5A

This video is a short critique of a pervasive advertising strategy created during the pandemic. Commercials made in the time of COVID-19 are trying to frame consumption as a brave, patriotic act. These commercials also look and feel exactly the same, and surprisingly, are often void of the products or services being sold. Instead, the commercials exploit public sentiments surrounding essential workers despite how many of these ads come from corporations who do as little as possible to protect their workers. Amazon is a prime example, as are many food services businesses. Workers are presented as heroes (as are consumers) even though they aren’t paid a living wage and do not receive health care benefits. As such, these ads can be seen as an example of the false consciousness and as a general strategy to conceal class conflict.

From the video’s description: Our critic Amanda Hess looks at how brands are selling shopping as a noble act.