Is your first national TV ad really the best time to announce that you're giving away your product for free?

For Headspace, the answer is a resounding yes.

The meditation app today launched its first TV spot, created by agency Gut and longtime video partner Nexus Studio, specifically to tell audiences that subscriptions are free for a year if you're unemployed.

For a brand as scalable as Headspace, which serves up guided meditation and related services via its popular app, it's a masterstroke of empathy that is likely to have lasting revenue benefits.

If you've heard of Headspace but haven't given it a try as a paying subscriber, the effort is likely to get your attention, especially if you're one of the historic millions currently facing unemployment.

If you haven't heard of headspace and see the ad, you'll at least be appreciative of the brand's generosity. (Extended free trials have become pretty common lately, but a full year is an impressive commitment.)

While this campaign is laudably specific to the unemployed, other brands seem to be finding success by opening up their products to all. I'm currently about a month into Apple's 90-day free trial for Final Cut Pro as I work on my goal of learning video editing during the quarantine, and already I find myself just about ready to make the rather steep jump to buying it outright.

Have you signed up for any trials or new services since all this began? If so, let me know how it's going at the email below or at @Griner on Twitter.

David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com

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