Commercials, Moms, Dads, and the Pandemic: an Explorative Analysis of Gender Messaging and Gender Roles in Pandemic-Related Commercials

The pandemic caused brands to be sensitive to the environment, including the fact that many Americans were facing isolation, job loss, and living in a struggling economy. Brands made a conscious effort to connect with consumers during COVID-19. Brand messaging has always been cognizant of the fact that they need to reach female consumers with meaning and purpose but how did this messaging position mothers or female care-givers in relation to males who may have been home providing an equal amount of care during the pandemic. This analysis of commercials investigates the relevance of gender in commercial messaging during a time when gender roles were shared as a direct result of pandemic restrictions.