The first of May or International Worker’s Day — no matter you want to call it or how you wish to celebrate it, no one does it better than the Finns.
After the cold and dark winter months, May Day is a time of spring festivities intermingled with political marches, speeches and student celebrations. As one of the biggest holidays in Finland, it brings tens of thousands of people together.
Except this year.
COVID-19 changed everything in the glimpse of an eye, as the Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin underlined that May Day would now need to be celebrated virtually.
We took a look at some of the best examples of how brands, cities and even the Tax Administration are energizing people during self-quarantine to still celebrate a beloved holiday.
Acts of solidarity — S-Group / HOK-Elanto
The Coronavirus has brought out the best in many brands, as they strive to help those in need. May Day usually means a spike in consumption, as people go shopping for traditional Finnish foods, such as mead, doughnuts, and picnic supplies.
HOK-Elanto, part of the biggest Finnish grocery store chain S-Group, decided not to advertise their own products in their ads. Instead they are asking people to care for one another in an act of solidarity. In their printed ad they give multiple alternatives of charities that are most gravely in need, like SOS Children’s Villages, the Red Cross and mental health organizations.