Political cartoon: In a coronavirus world, every commercial is the same

Commercials these days always start with somber piano music.

I get it. We’re in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic that has forced most of the country to hunker down in their homes, so its wise to pivot away from tone-deaf commercials of crowds partying together on a cruise ship or people licking their fingers after downing a bucket of KFC chicken.

But can Madison Avenue show us a bit of creativity in this time of crisis, especially when most of us are turning on the TV in an attempt to escape from the ugly realities of a virus that will likely be around into next year and beyond?

Apple. Budweiser. Cabelas. Chick-Fil-A. Facebook. H&R Block. Lincoln. Mazda. Target. All these brands and many, many more feel the need to remind me on a loop of something I’m already quite aware of: That we’re living through “challenging” and “unprecedented times,” and though “the distance between us has gotten bigger,” now more than ever we need to “stay connected” without leaving the “safety" of our "home.”

» READ MORE: Great. Now the coronavirus is infecting TV commercials, too.

And close with scenes of people applauding health care workers from their balconies and windows as the music swells.

Also, brands from Nationwide to Toyota are “here for you,” “here to help,” “will be here for you,” and “with you.” Taco Bell wants to give me a hug, which I don’t think Anthony Fauci would approve of. McDonald’s briefly separated its famous arches in a show of support for social distancing, but I’d rather the company figure out how to provide all its workers paid sick leave.

There are obviously a lot more important things to worry about these days, but we’re nearly two months into this pandemic. All I’m asking is for is a bit more creativity when it comes to selling me a hamburger.

Here’s a roundup of recent coronavirus cartoons from me and my colleague, Signe Wilkinson. For more editorial cartoons, visit inquirer.com/opinion/cartoons/: