Television ads changing amid uncertainty due to coronavirus

With families staying home during the coronavirus pandemic, many spending time watching televsion, they can't help but notice a difference in television advertising.

"The majority of advertisers have stopped the campaigns that were already in progress and they are switching to different messaging," Ad Age senior reporter Adrianne Pasquarelli said.

Many advertisers are changing the themes of new ads aimed at elements of the pandemic as they attempt to allay people's fears.

"There is a lot of the type of reassurance messaging that we are seeing," Pasquarelli said. "That things are safe here. This is safe here this is what we are doing."

Some ad campaigns are aimed at a larger segment while others have stopped all promotion indefinitely.

"in particular retail, restaurants are particularly hard hit by the caronavirus and they have hit pause on all marketing and advertising," Pasquarelli said. "Retail advertising was down 9 percent."

Many other companies have ramped up their messaging and are reaching out to customers telling them we are in this together.

"For the week ending march 23 household ads were up 43-percent. I think we know why," Pasquarelli said. "There is a lot of messages like that, like unity, around helping others."

And thanking others like the front line heath care workers, nurses and doctors.

different messaging for a much different time.