'Purpose washing' in times of crisis

It is dangerous for brands to jump onto a new bandwagon every time there is a "purpose" on the horizon

The virus is here and may not go away any time soon. I am sure every other brand manager out there is trying to see how they can link their brand to the ongoing crisis. Can we reposition our brand on a health platform? Can we speak of the germ-kill properties of our mattress (don’t laugh, more than one brand has tried this angle)? Can our toilet brush remove hidden viruses from the loo?

Brands that had nothing to do with health or hygiene are jumping onto the health bandwagon. True, some of them are finding traction while many are becoming