German Supermarket PENNY Thanks Couch Potatoes in Humorous Social Media Campaign

PENNY and Serviceplan continue with their response to the Covid-19 pandemic with a social media campaign aimed at providing some light-hearted relief during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Using the already-known hashtag #homefirst, the German supermarket chain now celebrates the "Guardians of Wisdom and Keepers of the Couch" in a humorous social media campaign encouraging self-isolation. The third in a series conceived by Serviceplan Campaign for PENNY supermarkets as a response to the lockdown encourages people to stay at home, and celebrates those who have perfected the art of being a ‘Couch Potato’. Following the #erstmalhelfen (#helpingfirst) campaign which paid tribute to PENNY employees working in stores and logistics during lockdown, and the #erstmalzuhause (#homefirst) social media campaign which thanked families, is a funny new film celebrating “Guardians of Wisdom and Keepers of the Couch”, again alongside the hashtag #homefirst.

The new film shows various people in everyday situations within their apartments, and celebrates those "who usually don't celebrate at all" and who have always liked to stay home voluntarily. Created using stock footage, the film sends the message that “staying home is your superpower”, and depicts people who have perfected the 'lazy' arts of; gaming, knitting, eating and watching screens. The ‘Couch Potatoes’ are very much needed in the current quarantine situation, where everyone should leave their homes as little as necessary, because they have already acquired important skills, such as living online or making the sofa a comfort zone. 

Stefan Magel, divisional director trading at Germany REWE Group and COO of PENNY: “We take the present situation very seriously, but we think it is also important to give people a brief moment of humour and entertainment in these times. That's why we celebrate the voluntary 'couch potatoes' with the highest respect and appreciate – and this is meant very seriously - their many qualities.”

PENNY is launching several communication campaigns to accompany people through the current crisis. These are linked by the used hashtags, which are based on the PENNY hashtag #erstmalzupenny. The #erstmalzuhause (#homefirst) hashtag has already been used to thank families in a social media campaign and the #erstmalhelfen (#helpingfirst) campaign has been paying tribute to employees in the stores and in the logistics area.