Written by: Gabi Morales

Covid-19 changed so much about the retail industry, causing countless stores to close their doors, factories and production. Overwhelmed by announcements from nearly every company, good news stood out among the sea of negativity. Companies like L.L. Bean and Ulta came up with creative ways to help their local communities, employees and customers during an otherwise tough situation.

Good ideas don’t come along very often, but when they do, they’re worth spreading. Many PR professionals put in countless hours trying to come up with ideas to help their brand image during the pandemic. L.L. Bean, an outdoor company based in Maine, responded to the COVID-19 outbreak in a very positive and uplifting way, greatly benefiting their corporate image. In March, L.L. Bean had to shut down their stores for two weeks, taking a big loss in sales, however, they didn’t let that stop them from making a difference in the local community. In an Instagram post, L.L. Bean shared how they altered one of their shipping facilities into a distribution center for food for local Maine residents. L.L. Bean partnered with Good Shepherd Food Bank to provide food to locals who were in need of the support. This partnership not only helped the community, but it kept their warehouse employees, truck drivers and countless others employed during a time of mass layoffs. In another Instagram post, L.L. Bean shared their commitment to the health and safety of medical professionals. They converted their Brunswick, Maine factory that normally makes Bean Boots into a mask making operation, hoping to make around 10,000 masks a day. 

They weren’t the only company that decided to help healthcare workers. Ulta, the beauty retailer, decided to lend a hand as well, but in their own unique way. Ulta is known for their wide variety of beauty products and services, with many locations offering a full salon. They decided to offer a special deal to medical professionals as a thank you for their tireless efforts to thwart the virus. In a letter released on May 11th, the Ulta CEO, Mary Dillon, offered a half off a haircut and style to all healthcare workers with a valid I.D. This may seem like a trivial thing to worry about during a global pandemic, but healthcare workers deserve to take time for themselves and be taken care of as well. This was a unique way for a beauty company to make a difference in many lives, while their image benefited from the good deed. Seeing how different companies used their skills and resources to come together and help fight the virus was very inspiring. 

Another way many companies either boosted or harmed their corporate image was shown in how they treated their employees during the shutdown. During the pandemic and initial shut down, many hourly workers lost their jobs. I kept reading about how callous some companies were in this process of laying off their employees; from mass emails to mass Zoom calls, people had their jobs taken from them in heartless ways. I decided to seek out and support companies that treated their employees well during this hard time. Companies like Ulta, L.L. Bean, DSW, and Bath & Body Works kept their employees on payroll during the nationwide quarantine. Several companies kept their employees paid as long as they fiscally could, but eventually they ran out of funds when business dropped off. However, seeing and hearing about the businesses that treated their employees well shaped their image more than any ad campaign ever could — this is the difference PR professionals can make.

Coronavirus taught many people how to slow down, enjoy time at home and maybe even make some sourdough bread; businesses learned just as much. They learned how to bolster their image by treating employees with respect when the eyes of the nation were on them and to commit to community outreach to help the surrounding residents and hospitals in need. Understanding how companies responded to COVID-19 showed their true colors and what they value as a company. Whether it was a PR publicity stunt or a kind gesture, these acts of selflessness by companies will carry on longer than any short-term profit ever will.