During the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant shift occurred in the landscape of consumer offers and promotional resources. Numerous companies, organisations, and community groups mobilised to provide free resources and products to individuals and families facing economic and social challenges. This period saw an expansion in the types of freebies, promotional offers, and community resources available, specifically targeting businesses, organisations, and individuals dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. A comprehensive guide, last updated on September 22, 2020, curated a list of 318 deals, which included products, services, subscriptions, and memberships that were either free of charge or heavily discounted by 50% or more. The initiative recognised that companies both large and small were stepping up to assist during this difficult time, offering a wide array of support ranging from essential digital educational tools and wellness classes to physical household goods and specialised treats for healthcare workers.
The types of freebies available were diverse, covering several categories relevant to UK consumers. These included digital educational resources, household goods, healthcare professional benefits, and local community exchanges. Community marketplaces proved vital for the redistribution of furniture, home improvement materials, and even pets, while branded promotions continued in regulated formats. These offerings provided critical support and resources to consumers navigating the challenges of the pandemic, ensuring access to necessary tools for remote work, education, and personal wellbeing.
Digital Educational Resources and Software Offers
One of the most prominent categories of free offers during the pandemic was digital educational resources and software, designed to support the sudden shift to remote learning and home working. Several companies provided their tools and services at no cost to facilitate this transition.
Educational E-Textbooks The Educational Company of Ireland (Edco) made its Primary, Junior Cert, and Leaving Cert e-textbooks available for free online for the duration of the pandemic. These resources formed a complete range of learning material for the primary and secondary levels of the Irish education system. To access these free e-textbooks, users were required to log in with specific usernames corresponding to the educational level: "primaryedcobooks" for Primary, "jcedcobooks" for Junior Cert, and "lcedcobooks" for Leaving Cert. The password for all levels was "edco2020". Typically, these e-textbooks would cost between €9.95 and €32.50 or more. Similarly, Walsh Educational Books Ltd. offered Educate Plus’s E-Textbooks and resources, which cover both the primary and post-primary levels of Irish schools, free of charge. These resources were usually priced between €5 and €12 each.
Pedagogical Tools FeedbackFruits made all its pedagogical tools available for free in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to support teachers. This offer was extended until regular teaching could resume, providing instructors with free access to a suite of tools designed to facilitate online education.
Video Conferencing and Collaboration Platforms Avaya Inc. provided Avaya Spaces, a cloud-based video conferencing and collaboration platform, for free. This service, typically costing from $6 per user per month, was made available to help teams and educational institutions maintain connectivity during the pandemic.
Software Delivery Platforms Software2 Inc. offered AppsAnywhere, a software delivery platform for higher education, for free for 90 days. This allowed students to easily access the software required for their studies on any device, a service that is not usually provided for free.
Productivity and Focus Applications Several applications aimed at enhancing productivity and focus were also offered for free or at a significant discount. * Loom: To support remote work and education, Loom removed the recording limit on their free plan, making it unlimited instead of the previous 25 recordings. The price of Loom Pro was cut in half, from $10/month to $5/month, and all trials of Loom Pro were extended from 14 to 30 days through July 1, 2020. Furthermore, Loom Pro was made free forever for teachers and students at K-12 schools, universities, or educational institutions using the platform for classroom work. * Noisli: Noisli Ltd., which provides an app that mixes different sounds to create a pleasant auditory environment and boost productivity, made its service available for free. This app typically costs $24 per month for two users. * Focus@Will: Focus@Will Labs, Inc., an app offering scientifically selected instrumental music optimised for focus, cut the price of all its plans by 50%. Individual plans usually range from $69.99 to $299.99. * Reaper: Cockos, Inc. offered Reaper, a digital audio production application for multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing, and mastering, for free. The commercial version of this software is typically $225, with a discounted price of $60.
Wellness and Mental Health Support
Recognising the immense stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic, several companies offered free access to their mental health and wellness applications.
Meditation and Mindfulness Apps Headspace offered free access to Headspace Plus for all US healthcare professionals working in public health settings through the end of 2020. Headspace Plus provides access to hundreds of meditations, mindfulness exercises, and animations, and is usually priced at $12.99 per month. To access this offer, healthcare professionals had to select the state where their NPI (National Provider Identifier) was registered, enter their last name as it appears in the NPI registry, and enter their individual NPI. Those without an NPI or who did not practice in the US could request free access via a specific form. Sanvello Health Inc. made its premium access to the Sanvello app, which is designed to manage and treat stress, anxiety, and depression, completely free during the COVID-19 crisis. This offer, usually priced at $8.99 per month, required no action from users to activate. The app includes all content, coping tools, and peer support.
Offers for Healthcare Professionals and Frontline Workers
While many companies donated PPE and money, specific initiatives targeted healthcare providers with personal treats and gifts. These deals were generally available to frontline healthcare workers, with a particular focus on nurses, to provide recognition during a trying time. The range of items mentioned included coffee, socks, and other small gifts and treats. It was emphasised that these lists were compiled to help nurses and other essential workers and that no companies paid for their mention.
Branded Promotions and Sweepstakes
Despite the pandemic, some brands continued with traditional promotional activities, such as sweepstakes, often with specific disclaimers related to the crisis.
Corona Extra Beer Sweepstakes Crown Imports LLC, the importer of Corona Extra Beer, sponsored a sweepstakes. Key administrative details included: * Sponsor: Crown Imports LLC, 131 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60603. * Administrator: Don Jagoda Associates, Inc., 100 Marcus Drive, Melville, NY 11747. * Social Media Disclaimers: The sweepstakes was explicitly not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Facebook/Meta or Instagram. Information provided by entrants went to the Sponsor, not the social platforms. * Live Nation Disclaimers: Live Nation was not a sponsor and was not responsible for administration, verification, or fulfillment.
A "Winners List" was to be sent after all prizes were awarded. This demonstrates that even during the pandemic, regulated branded promotions continued, albeit with clear disclaimers regarding social media platforms and other partners.
Digital Freebies for Personal Use
Beyond services and physical goods, digital products were offered for free to help individuals cope with lockdowns and "Shelter in Place" orders. A specific example provided was a "Corona FREE Coloring book," which offered the first 70 pages for free. The creator provided these resources to help people through the "Shelter in Place" order, allowing users to download, colour, and share the pages permanently. This type of offer highlights the community-driven and individual-led initiatives that supplemented corporate efforts.
Community-Based Platforms and Local Exchanges
Beyond curated lists, community-based platforms saw a surge in activity. These platforms facilitated the redistribution of essential items between community members. Examples of items exchanged included furniture, home improvement materials, and even pets. These marketplaces proved vital for local support networks, allowing individuals to acquire necessary goods without financial burden and enabling the redistribution of resources within communities. This grassroots approach complemented the broader corporate and organisational efforts to provide support during the pandemic.
Conclusion
The availability of freebies during the COVID-19 pandemic reflected a broad and multifaceted response from companies, community platforms, and individuals. Resources ranged from essential digital educational tools and software for remote work and learning to wellness applications supporting mental health. Specialised treats and gifts were directed towards frontline healthcare workers, while community marketplaces facilitated the redistribution of physical goods. Branded promotions, such as sweepstakes, continued in regulated formats with clear disclaimers. These offerings provided critical support and resources to consumers navigating the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, demonstrating a wide-ranging effort to assist individuals, families, and businesses during a difficult period.