Abstract
Covid-19 emerged as an epidemic, but then turned into a global crisis with its areas of influence and management style. One of the important targets affected has been consumers.Consumers see big brands as central to the fight against Covid-19 and as supporters of increased awareness. During this global epidemic, while consumers were changing both psycho-social and in terms of consumption habits and trends, on the other hand, global brands encountered the problem with being able to express their awareness in this changing environment. As a result of the new distant life, it is important to establish a strategic communication by attracting the attention of the consumer, who has started to take more place on online platforms and shifted their interest, orientation and consumption to this medium. In order to achieve this, social media advertising films have become an important tool. In this context, the research aims to reveal how global brands use social media ads, which message they present and what kind of imagination they use. Brands in the technology (Apple), automotive (Honda) and food (McDonald’s) sector, which are in the top 30 of Forbes’ (2020) “World’s Most Valuable Brands list” and have posted ads on YouTube, have been determined based on a targeted sample. In the Covid-19 process, which messages are being offered to the target audience by brands with “youtube ads” have been interpreted and analyzed with the “semiotic” technique. In the first part of the advertising analysis model includes scenes from the advertising film, while the second part includes “the narrative of advertising, meanings, aesthetics, the structure of advertising, metaphors and images, cultural references, ideology”. In the third section, “binary contrasts and semiotic meanings and myths are included in the advertising film, and in the last section, analysis is performed. In the context of the results of the study, brands have revealed their educational mission towards the crisis with social media ads. In addition, Apple has given a message that it is making life easier for everyone by using the myths of technology, friendship, intimacy, and togetherness. Honda has given a message that staying at home is not an obstacle to revealing what is different using the myths of friendship, sincerity, environmentalist-clean, success-freedom. Finally, McDonald's has given the message that we are with you at any time you need, using the myths of startup, wisdom, hard work, friendship, guidance, action, danger and health.