One Year of Change

Today, Adweek marks one year since the pandemic began. Before March 11, 2020, the world had been eyeing the situation with uncertainty and trepidation—but that day attitudes toward Covid-19 quickly shifted. The World Health Organization officially declared Covid-19 to be a global pandemic. The NBA suspended its season that night. Beloved actor Tom Hanks announced he was infected. Basically, it was the day we all suddenly knew, this was real. Since then, a great deal has changed. “Unprecedented” became the word of the hour. The impacts have been far-reaching and dramatic for nearly every industry—and, more importantly, for people.

In an exercise meant to take stock of where we were and where we are now, Adweek has compiled 12 key data points—the gains and losses in every sector we cover—which throw into sharp focus the scope of the pandemic’s trials and the way the industry has responded.

Of particular note:

See 10 more pieces of data that illustrate the pandemic’s most seismic shifts.

Ultimately, it’s not really about the numbers—and it hasn’t been all bad. Adweek surveyed industry professionals to see how things are going in this largely remote work environment, and we found that there were bright spots that shone through the gloom. We asked marketers about their biggest wins amid all of the changes and what they learned along the way.

For instance, Meghann Craig, vp, marketing at Empower, said that the shift to remote work actually managed to unify the company’s culture, which had been divided among office locations.

Soak up the silver linings: Discover more sunny moments from the pandemic, including a marketer's proposal via Pizza Hut pizza.

What they learned: Execs like Engine global CEO Kasha Cacy and Deutsch New York chief strategy officer Matt Baker share what they'll take away from the past year.

During the past year, Adweek has worked hard to provide you with the information you need to keep your business ahead of the curve. Support us with an Adweek+ subscription.

In the TV and streaming world, things are starting to heat back up—but with things looking notably different than they did in previous years.

During today’s Elevate: Health and Wellness live event, Adweek caught up with Calm and CNN to get an update on how the mindfulness app’s sponsorship of 2020 Election Night coverage on CNN—which made Adweek's annual Ads of the Year list—changed things for both parties. The move not only generated massive chatter, but also supercharged the brand’s social platforms and formed a powerful “yin and yang” between much-needed coverage and peace of mind. Watch a segment from the event.

New Belgium has long been more than just a Fort Collins, Colo., brewery staple with a globally recognizable brand and a reputation for quality craft beers. But when it came to differentiating and boosting the profile of its Voodoo Ranger line, the brewer sought out some help from agency Fact & Fiction, which helped the brand grow its followers from 1,500 to over 60,000.

Find out how the agency broke convention—and got unexpected help from Star Wars Day and Elon Musk—to connect with consumers and build the brand.

Briefly:

Did you know that Mozart had a sister who was once as widely lauded as he was? As children, they performed together, but her career ended when she married at 15, and her music was lost to time. But Maria Anna Mozart’s music has now been revived, after LG commissioned pianist Heloísa Fernandes to recreate a piece of her music inspired by Maria’s letters. Listen here.

Adweek’s Social Media Week New York will return May 4-7 virtually for main stage talks, panel debates, fireside conversations, a track of academy classes, networking, and so much more.

Sign up today for this worldwide event and save 30% on your reg!

No fluff or jargon—here's the plan for reaching net-zero.

The Huge Midwest VP of Brand Planning is on a mission to abolish bias in the industry, especially amongst Black women.

The campaign aims to change how women are represented in sports and exercise marketing.

The first major marketing push for the new product debuts today.

Can spending recover quickly for Out-of-Home and Direct Mail advertising?

The spot will air during the Grammys on Sunday.