Over the last few months, brands have been facing extreme shifts in behaviour of their customers as people around the world have been worried more than ever before. How different brands responded to people’s changing attitudes over time?
Lesson 1 (March): Address people’s concerns
Lesson 2 (April): Always bring people together as they stay apart
Lesson 3 (May): Ensure that you care
Lesson 4 (June): Keep people staying positive
Lesson 1 (March): Address people’s concerns
Within a few months, global society has shifted from normality to survival mode. Amazon Search Terms ranking shows the revaluation of people’s needs as the pandemic spectre has been becoming real. At the end of 2019, the most often searched term was “AirPods” while in march 2020 it was “toilet paper”.
According to data from Statista people in Europe and the USA are most worried about their families health and the local economy. We are a bit less worried about our private health and finances.
Cartonelle created a campaign assuring people that they will constantly supply toilet paper and invited them to focus on really important matters.
Lesson 2 (April): Always bring people together as they stay apart
Because of the lockdown, our homes became our schools, our offices and our sanctuary. We had to learn how to live without direct contact with our relatives. All the software allowing to connect online has drastically grown in popularity.
Uncle Bens prepared a video spot based at home treating the problem of isolation.
Instead of being anxious while suffering from cabin fever in quarantine, Ikea Spain saw an opportunity to shift the perspectives of their consumers by welcoming them back into their homes with the #YoMeQuedoEnCasa (#I’mStayingHome) campaign.
Lesson 3 (May): Ensure that you care
Adaptation was the only possible way, as the new reality is undeniably coming. We need to change some of our daily habits and learn to follow new rules. Brands had to adapt their communication as well. Confirmation that we care about people and the situation in which we are together is crucial to keep customers feel safe.
Domino’s has prepared a spot in which encourages you to “stay home with your loved ones”.
Lesson 4 (June): Keep people staying positive
An optimistic attitude and some positive vibes help people to survive hard times. Optimism, not joking, since laughing while so many people die may be extremely inappropriate. Even though, it is one of the main coping mechanisms during periods of anxiety.
Some brands show in their communication the bright side of the tough time we have been experiencing. Land Rover in the campaign #StayInStayAdventurous showed in a creative way that exploring great indoors might be a big fun as well.
What do you think will be the next lesson that we should learn?
At the very beginning brands tried to make people feel calm and safe, then changed the narration to keep people united and stay positive. We don’t know yet what will be the final impact of the Covid pandemic we are facing, nevertheless, we need to stay resilient as much as possible to respond to changes that will undoubtedly affect the global market.
I am a strategist at Together — the agency which helps various organisations to design better brand experience. In the next article, which will appear soon, I am going to discuss some rules that redefine the way of communication in the post-Covid world. Feel invited to read!
If you would like to discuss how to redesign your communication strategy in the post-Covid world, please contact me. My name is Wiktor Madejczyk. I am a strategist at Together and, along with Henryk Klawe and Bartosz Balewski, may help your organisation to benefit from digital transformation.
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