Marketing in times of crisis

‘Business as usual’ won't cut it at this time. The world is going through a very unusual time, so the message your audience will respond to has to speak to this new reality.

That doesn't mean you have to spell it out—my inbox is full of emails with 'COVID-19' in the subject line—I get enough doom and gloom from the news, thank you!

Instead, here are a few things to consider when adapting your strategy for marketing in the times of Corona and some examples from brands who’ve done it well:

How can you provide value?

A lot of brands had to rethink their content and even production at this time. Some focused on their people's stories, others leaned heavily on memes to provide some relief, while others round up useful resources and pick me ups.

The content doesn't have to be branded, it just has to go back to the basics of marketing: connect with your consumer by offering value.
I'm more likely to read about a founder's favorite books right now or browse for pick me ups, than respond to another '20% off' sale message.

Quick case study

Arm The Animals is a DTC apparel brand that donates part of their funds to animal rescues. For the past few weeks, their Instagram feed heavily features animal memes, over photos of models with their apparel - this way they can entertain and uplift their audience, while still keeping true to the brand values.

Can you support?

While the jury is out on how much of this is a PR exercise and how effective fabric masks actually are, a lot of fashion brands have switched their production from clothes to masks and robes. Restaurants have offered free coffees and meals to health workers and first responders. Hotels have opened their doors to homeless and health workers.
Others have chosen to donate a percentage of their sales to a charity organization that supports vulnerable groups like victims of domestic violence.
What can your brand do to contribute to the solution in a way that feels authentic? This is a time to come together in our local and global communities.

Quick case study

As presumably, sales will have plummeted anyway, Burberry seized this opportunity to highlight its British heritage, by re-purposing its factories and leveraging its supply chain in order to supply medical supplies to UK hospitals.

Ask for help

If you have a small brand or early stage start-up, there is no shame in opening up about the fact that you are struggling and relying on your customers' support to survive this crisis. A lot of consumers who still can, are choosing to order meals or buy from independent sellers in order to support small businesses. People with some disposable income will still consider a pick-me-up while they're stuck in isolation and care about seeing their favourite small businesses survive.

Be transparent

Highlight your efforts to keep the products safe for the customers to purchase; speak to the fact that your website is operating as normal or notify your customers of delays. Explain how you are keeping your staff and customers safe and what you have done to continue paying your employees and suppliers.

Quick case study

Away announced the necessary changes to their team over Instagram with a link to a Medium article, which feels very accessible and explained how they went above and beyond to support their staff in this difficult times.

Adapt your offering

If you were to hold an IRL event, which is cancelled at the moment, how can you recreate that connection moment with your customers, online?
Instagram, Facebook live, Messenger and Zoom all offer the opportunity for immediate, 1:2:1 communication with your consumers. Plus, they give a 'behind the scenes' sense to your followers.

Don't take yourself too seriously

A lot of artists I know struggle with the idea of no professional setting for them to create their art.
This is fine. We are all in this together. No other brand can do photoshoots either.
No other artist can go to a studio either. It's ok, consumers know this and respond better to casual, immediate communication coming from a smartphone in someone's bedroom.
Be creative and authentic! That's what 'relatable' content is made of.

Quick case study

Greek actor and director Christopher Papakaliatis shared this overview of his days in self-isolation on Instagram, which he directed and filmed himself.

Conclusion

Consumers will remember how your brand reacted at this time and will inform their purchase decisions - especially Millenials and Generation Z, who care about the purpose of a brand. They will reward the companies that stand for something, rather than stay silent in this unusual situation.

Not quite convinced?

Check out this constantly updated list of UK retailers' response to the pandemic created by @lewis_cotter with the contribution of hundreds of consumers.

Make sure your brand is among the winners!

If you'd like to have a chat about your strategy, drop me a line on ellie@aenae.co