Is Your Brand in a COVID Cave? Get out!
People want to hear from you during the coronavirus shutdown.
Though it depends on what you’re saying.
It also depends on what they expect to hear. According to an Ace Metrix survey conducted after the “Stay home, stay safe” guidance was issued, consumers expressed approval with brands addressing the coronavirus pandemic in advertising.
- 42% of people said, “Yes, any mention is OK.”
- 44% said, “It depends on the message and/or brand.”
- Only 10% of consumers said, “It’s not OK to discuss the current crisis in ads.”
That was a month ago. What is the sentiment today?
Despite emotionally charged news stories and political battles, there are signs that people continue to have a positive outlook for the future. Returning to the same polling resource, their data came to the same conclusion:
“Leveraging our survey speed and size, Ace Metrix is keeping a pulse on US consumer sentiment in response to COVID-19, collecting data from close to 20,000 unique respondents per week.*
The overall outlook from Americans in terms of job security, personal impact, and social distancing behaviors show signs of hope, with remarkable consistency. Job fears remain unchanged in weeks, and a vast majority are still cooperating with new social norms. Very little variation across demographics further indicates that US consumers are on the same page for the most part.”
(*This survey was conducted by a marketing company: you won’t see depth in the study.)
Be Present
It’s harder to make a marketing blunder when you’re being authentic, aware, and seeking to add value. We have an opportunity to connect with people on a personal level and find ways to support others during a time when many are open and seeking to feel connected.
Brand messaging-blunders and brand-building wonders
As small and medium businesses (SMBs), we have some clear advantages over big brands.
We can learn from their wins and fails. We can also test on a small scale. An ill-timed ad or social post is not likely to go viral and be broadcast on news and marketing websites for millions to see. When it comes to operations and product development, mega brands move like freighters, while SMBs can maneuver through a crisis with the agility of a speed boat.
These seven marketing blunders and messaging wonders can inspire us to take a leap and make a wake that creates positive ripples:
- BLUNDER Ignore the timing.
Corona Beer created an ad campaign to launch its brand extension into the hard seltzer market. They ignored the news of the spreading coronavirus and ran their ads: “Corona: Coming Ashore Soon”
You guessed it. It created a backlash across social media platforms. Ouch.
2. WONDER Create Value.
Daily, we’ve seen examples of small businesses taking positive action and bringing value. They are forging their unique talents into something that is needed now. Others are making their skills accessible to promote someone else.
Denise Roberts is a consultant and trainer, specializing in transforming sales and customer service teams. Early on, she created an online workshop and video series to help business owners and sales leaders during the pandemic. She inspired creativity and ideas to help connect with customers in a way that supports, rather than sells.
Rochester Tea Room. Owner, Tonia Carsten, has been contacting clients and offering “Tea for Mom” gift packages for senior parents who are feeling isolated during the shutdown.
MODI Video Services donated video production to a small community, one of the first in Montana to be hit with COVID-19. They worked with the marketing director at Marias Medical Center to create an inspiring message for Toole County to “Keep on keeping on.”
SharpSpring Automated marketing service got to work on a video chat feature as soon as the news hit. They made this happen at lightning speed to help their customers continue to do business and meet with people safely. Adding this feature, along with others, without adding fees.
- WONDER Deals & discounts.
As brand-builders, we help clients create value so they don’t have to rely on discounts and coupons. Yet, this is a different time. When most of the world has closed their shops, companies that are lending a financial hand stand out as compassionate.
A DoorDash direct mail postcard stood out among the others with a “$5 off your bill and $0 delivery” offer to support local restaurants.
Shopify extended its 30-day free trial to 90-days. Restaurants and shop owners who did not have a way to sell online can quickly set up a website. In a few hours, they are equipped to sell gift-cards and offer curbside pickups.
Consultants and fractional professionals are supporting their clients through this forced cash-crunch. Most every colleague we’ve talked with has offered free services or reduced fees.
- BLUNDER Play it safe and follow-the-leader.
Here’s an example of big brands playing it safe in a pandemic. Clearly, their ads are taken from the same playbook.
Following a safe script. The first companies who had this out-the-gate were winners. Then came the crowd. (Guinness and Ford were early to market: both included tangible actions they were taking to contribute).
Here’s the script. (Funny, but not funny.)
We can’t entirely fault the marketing companies. Their clients don’t want to make waves or deal with a nasty, critical social media tsunami. We want to connect with people, show empathy, remind them of who we are, how we can relate, and encourage them that “we’ll get through this together.” The challenge for big brands is to go beyond the script and share their message in a unique way.
“Pressure reveals the integrity of a brand.”
– Bill Kleist, Identity Creative
- WONDER Rethink a tradition.
Do holidays and special occasions have to take a back seat during a shutdown? Stories abound where people are using digital communication to connect, like rethinking a Passover seder celebration, a global choir, and a drive-in Easter service. They’re also celebrating special events like birthdays and homecomings with neighborhood parades. Have you heard a firetruck siren on your street, leading a parade of cars? We have: our 7-year old neighbor, Nicholas, said it was his best birthday ever!
The Kraft Heinz brand rethinks cookout events with social distancing, at “12 hotdogs apart.” They’ve also planned a driveway cookout day, May 2nd. This short video for social media also gets the message out that they’re donating a million meals to the nonprofit, Feeding America. The bonus: people can add to the donation by posting a pic of their cookout to Twitter with #FrontYardCookout in May.
Mackenzie Joan Designs wanted to help a nonprofit pregnancy support center, CareNet. CareNet provides medical and financial support to women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, and was deemed a non-essential business by the governor’s orders. Mackenzie created original artwork for a Mother’s Day card that can be ordered and delivered directly through the CareNet site. Her work is celebrating a tradition and helping a nonprofit in a beautiful and caring way.
- BLUNDER Business as usual.
While much of the country is working from home and business needs to carry on, we need to find ways to adapt our approach. A colleague who oversees the customer services team of a financial institution has spent extra time in training and processes to help her team manage an increasing number of emotionally draining calls. She’s working to care for both: customers and her team. It’s not business as usual for caring people.
Yesterday the office phone rang and it was a representative from AT&T. We are not AT&T customers and I sincerely expected to hear the caller offer a special to help businesses get through this tough time. Instead, she started right into a good ol’ sales pitch. She wasn’t rude; it just hit me the wrong way. It felt cold. Oh, man, I don’t ever want to do that to somebody.
- WONDER Curate value.
“Talk about yourself less, and listen more,” is good advice, especially for those in sales and marketing. How can we talk about business less when we want to connect with our audience? We can be a resource.
The business consulting group C-12 immediately responded to the crisis by creating instantly accessible tools for business leaders. They also began curating and listing links on their website to free tools that other consultants had created. That is a confident brand!
While celebrities and YouTube influencers around the world are working to maintain a connection with their fans, some are doing cool things, while most are self-absorbed. John Krasinski has used his celebrity status to create something unique. He began the SGN (Some Good News) YouTube channel from his home and is touching lives around the world by sharing others’ stories. The series has grown, and through John’s influence, it’s making the stories that want to be shared.
There’s a world of possibility outside the cave.
What have you discovered in your brand that can inspire those around you? We have a window of time to connect with people genuinely and profoundly. Let’s do it with forethought and benevolence. Our brands are the reflection of our leadership. Living in a smelly cave gets old. How will we “smell” when the coronavirus threat has passed?
If you’re still there, hiding until the storm has passed, step out into the light. Where there is uncertainty, there is opportunity. We can make things happen for our team, our clients, and our communities.
If you’ve stepped out of the COVID Cave, congratulations! In the comments below, please share your stories, and those who’ve inspired you.
Be a brand that shares the wonder.
