So many stories of brands showing up as helpers in this moment in time. And research is showing that’s a good thing – really. We are standing over a deep chasm of mistrust and fear. Brands – icons of childhood, stalwarts of our days, are comforting and known voices of gentle authority. Here are some examples of smart and authentic messaging being shared out today:

McDonald’s Brazil separated the brand’s iconic golden arches to telegraph the need for social distancing. Visual, telegraphic and provocative, this is a smart public service reminder for the public at large.

Zoom, yup it’s a thing. But where to position yourself so that your home screen doesn’t reveal too much about your home scene? Behr Paint and West Elm have already jumped in to smarten things up a bit. Both brands have created some pretty dope digital backdrops, letting you WFH in a space you that says you’ve got style. And bored with the new digs by Wednesday? – be the digital nomad you now are and simply choose a new space for your face.

Caspule collabs – nothing new to see here, right? Well how about Neiman Marcus and JoAnn fabrics partnering up in the name of public service? We didn’t see that one coming either – but hell yes to haute protection. The high end retailer has repurposed its manufacturing folks to create non-medical grade masks for people working in the health sector. JoAnn fabrics has stepped in to donate the materials. The dynamic duo expect to start delivering the finished products by the end of this week. Major cape swish!

Sharing is caring – right?? But it’s hard to share a laugh about a funny meme or cute puppy video when you’re in lockdown. That text bubble is not the same as the IRL moment you catch the incredulous reaction from your friends. In a stroke of serendipity, Instagram has launched its Co-Watching feature this week, letting up to 6 friends view posts and stories together – a major bonus in a moment when we crave connection. Looks like the tea party has been re-convened!!

Right now, most of us are living some version of Life, Interrupted. In this oddly static state, the work of Seattle-based photographer Derrick Lin seems incredibly poignant. His miniature dioramas of office scenes from decades ago, set amongst the detritus of paperclips and coffee cups, reflect on a world that no longer exists. Each still life eerily echoes with the sounds of commuters, high heels, and hello’s no longer spoken; miniature altars to the passing of work as we knew it. What was meant to be whimsical, has now become wistful…

Pub Choir is a wildly popular sing-along event initiated in Brisbane several years ago. Created as a means to connect disparate and lonely locals, it has since become a true movement. However, this month, the Pub Choir was put on hold for obvious reasons. Faced with an almost desperate outcry, the event director, Astrid Jorgensen, quickly created Coach Choir. Here, those who wish to harmonize log on to a Facebook page and download song sheets and harmony options. Jorgensen has since received over 1,000 videos from around the world, and the resulting video has been viewed over 300,000 times. We have seen voices raised in song on balconies and rooftops around the globe during this pandemic – it seems that music is a critical weapon in our fight on fear. Sing on, people, sing on!

Totally unrelated, but unbearably cute (don’t at me!) the first rescued Koalas, post fire, were released in Australia today. Now, don’t you feel a little better?

We all could use a little mental get-away right now, and our Netflix queue is looking dangerously low. Well Nextdraft is stepping up to offer us some old school entertainment. The news aggregation site has tapped Damon Lindelof, the American screenwriter and creator of HBO’s The Leftovers and Watchmen, to write a good old-fashioned murder mystery series, released on the site in weekly chapters. A total throwback to the newspaper serials of yesteryear, the drama is real, and the whodunnit, hard. So finish binging on Love is Blind, and head on over to your new/old addiction. Remember – reading is fundamental!

We leave you with some fresh air inspiration. Alexis Christodoulou, a 3D artist based in Cape Town, uses Instagram to share his collection of works focused on imaginary architecture. Take a wander and breath…