Welcome to Class 2020 — a year when the coronavirus pandemic catches everyone off-guard on an unprecedented scale since World War II. Various medical experts and politicians have collaborated with countries to step up efforts in minimizing further spread of the disease. Temperature screenings and identity verification are put into place at several entry points. Never before have toilet rolls, eggs, instant noodles and hand sanitizers vanished from shelves so fast. Hygienic deliveries and streamline websites light up the room. Empty streets. Full homes. Significant drops in public bus and train ridership. No one flinches an eye if Saturday is mistaken for a Thursday. Who would have imagined face masks to turn into the latest trending accessory at Paris Fashion Week? Facebook disclosed a more than double surge in voice and video calls on their Messenger and WhatsApp at severely impacted locations. Electricity and internet access are all the more indispensable. Even phone scammers are lying low. Millions of lives had been affected, in one way or another.
Because of the improved conditions, some regions have prised open lock downs and slowly easing restrictions. Whilst travel bans, retrenchments and withdrawn job offers turn common, food and beverages, healthcare and grocery continues to be seemingly stable industries. Should “non-necessities” halt promotional activities then? As I see it nope, so long as one plays his cards well. Brands ought to acknowledge the new normal and analyse the differences in consumer buying behavior, before deciding on the next course of action. Take into consideration the qualities you want people to associate the trade name with. And instead of appearing opportunistic, how else could you up the marketing game?
#1: Accommodate to changing lifestyle habits and unleash creativity online.
To reduce close contact, it is mandatory for most to work / study from home. Elbow-bumps or foot shakes replace handshakes. Maintaining fresh breath is no longer a priority due to the lack of social interactions. Since life has shifted to screens, either we catch up with others virtually or be cooped-up bakers. Trips to-fro the living room-fridge-bedroom-bathroom awkwardly count as a form of exercise (?). Home wear becomes work wear. Bidding for fresh seafood from the comfort of your couch is no surprise. Even robotic staff are set to dominate the retail sector soon.
Calls for basic needs often exceed supply during downturns. To meet the increase in deliveries and takeaways, firms should consider adding sustainability messages into their content strategy. From opt-outs of single-use cutlery usage on food delivery apps, upcycle no-sew face mask videos to clean living and bringing your own fold-able shopping trolley, “green” shout outs like these goes a long way towards building a climate-friendly trademarks and saving costs.
Individuals are now spoilt for choice with the multitude of complimentary live streams and broadcasts of previously paid performances available. “House parties” are thus sic, plus entertainment void filled. The recent “One World: Together at Home” star-studded virtual gig encouraged audiences to just “sit back and enjoy” while the corporations and billionaires donated more than $127 million to the World Health Organisation and charities. The teams behind PlayOn Fest managed to entertain and raise money for global citizens to survive, near or far. Balcony and online karaoke gain meaning in unity, so do viral comedy challenges on TikTok and Instagram Bingo boards.
#2: Search is on — draft and check before publish
With Circuit Breaker extension and tighter precautionary measures, locals are looking for all sorts of alternatives to flatten the curve. Homosapiens tread with caution as recession looms. Being financially prudent to survive is pivotal for most at the moment. Informational search queries (“how-to”, “reviews” or “signs”) therefore tend to rank higher than transactional ones (“buy”,“sign up” or product-specific) on the internet. With this extra time, it is not unusual for someone to dabble into simulated 3D museums / zoos, Do-It-Yourself bubble tea, rice-cooker meals and photoshoots.
Crafting clear and specific information about where, how, and when to get the things they need allows you to stand out from the crowd, manifesting a “know-like-trust” rapport. Prospects become more receptive to what your label has to offer. It would be good to identify key objectives and adapt content strategy accordingly. Acknowledge the target segment’s search intent, assure them that solutions are available (eg. with “add-on discounted” offers, “self-gifting” options), be flexible with cancellations or refunds from customers and stay supportive in this dynamic environment
Working professionals are likely to appreciate quick tips on “juggling projects with kids at home”, “zoom fatigue” and “preventing lower back and neck aches at make-shift offices”. Articles on “dealing with domestic conflicts”, “troubleshooting wifi issues” or “fun things to do when bored” should resonate with the masses.
Although there are legislations to contain the spread of speculation and unfounded rumors, everyone should use social media responsibly to fight the contagion including key opinion leaders. Vanessa Hudgens and Ellen DeGeneres were thrashed by netizens earlier for making insensitive remarks. K-Pop star Kim Jae-joong unfortunately did not pull off his prank on April Fool’s Day. Apologize, say what you will do and do it. For peace of mind, adopt the principles of T(true?).H(helpful?).I(inspiring?).N(necessary?).K(kind?) before you post materials on social media. The internet is ever-living, always connected though physically apart. Once it goes public, there is no turning back.
#3: Love yourself as thy neighbor. Empathize, improvise and apply
Live by soap, water, face masks and social distancing or risk infection. Waves of panic buying (also known as stock piling) caused logistic chains to be disrupted not long ago. Psychologist Maslow identified that without love and a sense of belonging, lonely and depressed humans will be less resilient to overcoming obstacles. Working hard round the clock to take care of patients, countless healthcare workers to their dismay had nowhere to obtain their household supplies and perceived to be virus-ridden and shunned by many before. Muslims probably observe Ramadan with rescission of congregational prayers and fast-breaking meals. Understanding ways to manage anxiety and apply self-care is hence crucial, all-encompassing physical, emotional and mental aspects.
Other than home exercise equipment and gardening kits, telemedicine and cloud kitchens are making the best out of this situation. Make-up is not to be overlooked, be it to boost moods or on sanitary grounds. Amy Schmucker, Marshmello and celebrities are cajoling fans to direct message them and ditch social media. Responses are not guaranteed, nonetheless it feels good to know the rich and famous are a few texts away.
To restore business confidence and protect the well-being of employees, Air Asia has implemented workplace safety procedures for passengers and cabin crew as flights resume for 5 territories. Plenty of established names have stepped in to provide care packages, cash contributions and educational webinars.
Light-hearted and feel-good entertainment are known to reduce worries amidst all the chaos. User-generated visuals, human-interest stories, memes and videos that exemplify spirit, humor, humility and spontaneity should do the trick. Remember the more unique the piece, the more engaged the fans and then share such with their families and friends.
Instead of holding back on advertising expenditure, organizations are recommended to reassess priorities and do the right things for the society. Being authentic is magnetic. Care and concern for the vulnerable in dire times are usually celebrated, in the likes of “Grandkids on Demand” and Sainsbury’s.
#4: Allow sharing of experiences and nurture relationships
Induced by movement restrictions a lot of us are fighting “Quarantine 15’’. Parents, teachers and students are figuring out home-based learning, an unconventional avenue. Mediation and ASMR-related videos can only do so much. Finding love for the singles is almost unreal.
Some companies shot and posted #StayHome #WithMe on-point videos on Youtube to embrace new reality in uncharted waters. Meituan and Taobao came up with comic strip-style illustrations that resonated with the Chinese on days in isolation. Budweiser, Rémy Martin, Carlsberg and Pernod Ricard partnered Taihe Music Group to create an e-clubbing event for party-goers and drove 40–70% in liquor sales. Tinder unlocked its Passport feature to allow members to meet anyone on earth for a limited duration and OkCupid reported a 200% increase on video dates. Couples are chatting longer and possibly exchange perspectives on a deeper level. Brand value grows.
Spreading positive news can assist folks to build up confidence and better cope with stress. Razer and parent companies of Louis Vuitton, Gucci & Balenciaga generated more healthcare necessities. Nine venture capitals magnanimously shared the SEAriously Awesome People List on their platforms to match hiring employers to the unemployed. Not all Covid-19 superheroes disappoint, although contact-tracing mobile applications did raise privacy concerns.
’Tis the season to serve the communities and forge new connections. They may not purchase any of the products in the short term but you win top-of-mind recall if their burdens are alleviated somewhat by your corporate gestures.
Even as in-store shoppers in China revenge spent on luxury goods, governments and civilians rather practise cautious optimism. In the UK, “quietest time to go shopping” and “the best time to go to supermarket” trended on Google as key search words. Besides compassion marketing, research-backed and relevant information assure consumers to make better decisions through uncertainty and agencies to gain goodwill.
It remains a mystery when vaccines would be in, the crisis out or whether a particular nocturnal creature is to blame. What is obvious is how some have gone out of their ways to help sort out cash crunches and make others stay productive and calm, with officials arguing and finger-pointing in the background. System 1 reported well-constructed brand ads that appeared of late actually performed better vis-à-vis the ones in the same month last year. One after another mankind has learnt under circumstances and emerged stronger post-Y2K, SARS, MERS and H1N1, all in the absence of a playbook. Putting two and two together we shall also succeed in the battle against coronavirus, eventually.
p.s: Kudos to all frontliners for your courage and selflessness to confront Covid-19, including those supporting behind-the-scenes (yep, someone regularly replenish these stocks at my apartment elevators).
