Amazon Walkouts Echo History; 6 Ways Advertisers Can Fight COVID-19: Wednesday's First Things First

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How Walkouts at Amazon Mirror Retail Strikes Through History

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, so do reports of protests among the essential workers at companies like Amazon, Whole Foods, Instacart and Target.

This moment in history is certainly unprecedented, but these strikes echo the time of the Great Depression and World War II. In 1941, workers at the department store Gimbels went on strike to demand the eight-hour workday recently adopted by the manufacturing industry, and in 1944, at the height of World War II, the Montgomery Ward strike in Chicago redefined workers’ rights to fair pay and benefits.

Related: Adweek talked with Chris Smalls—perhaps best known as the guy Amazon fired after organizing a walkout—about his experience inside Amazon’s warehouses, why he organized the walkout, and what comes next for him.

6 Ways Marketers Can Play a Vital, Appreciated Role in Fighting COVID-19

Many brands are jumping into the altruism game to help communities and customers as the pandemic rages on. But will these efforts make a lasting impact? Hillary Haley, a social psychologist at L.A. agency RPA, says brands can see the most benefit long-term “if they can play the connector role” between worthy causes and anxious consumers.

Agency Fancy put out a series of images and GIFs for the peer-to-peer platform Mask Match that enables people to send unused personal protective gear directly to medical professionals. And Lowe’s, sticking with its DIY messaging, encouraged consumers to make signs of gratitude for delivery, health-care and retail workers.

Related: Spice brand McCormick has shifted its marketing and is now engaging with at-home chefs with social media Q&As, cooking tutorials, Spotify playlists and positive “It’s Gonna Be Good” messaging.

As Agencies Keep Adapting, Game Engines Emerge as an Effective Tool to Keep Work Going

Video game engines like Unity and Unreal are becoming essential tools while filming is on hold. Production company The Mill, for instance, used game engines for a Google Pixel 3 ad featuring Childish Gambino, among several other projects. The main benefit of using game engines for production is that they can render content much faster than more traditional tools—and it can be paired with AR and VR for even more opportunities.

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Omnicom CEO John Wren Outlines Cost-Cutting Measures Including Furloughs and Layoffs

In an internal email to employees of Omnicom agencies, CEO John Wren outlined a series of cost-saving measures the holding company is taking in response to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including furloughs and layoffs. Wren is the first holding company CEO to reveal that he is forgoing his salary for the foreseeable future as he won’t take a salary until the end of September.

How Fiat’s Experience in Italy Informed Its Creative in the US Today

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is based in the two countries that were among those hit hardest by the pandemic. Fortunately, Fiat’s experience in Italy helped its sister brands for what was to come. We talked with Olivier Francois, CMO of FCA and Fiat president, about how the brand turned a cancelled exhibition into an act of solidarity with Italy—and then extended its #StayAtHome social campaign across the broader company.

The Latest in TV and Streaming News:

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In this Voice piece, Madwell creative director Laura Wasson argues that shows like Tiger King are providing the escapism everyone needs.