Branding since Covid-19

With branding since Covid-19, everyone is going through a reset. While some changes may be temporary, this reset is likely to alter what it means to be part of a society and community. Some things will never be the same again as we see the new normal.

One of the clearest trends to have emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic is that consumers have changed their shopping habits, with leading high street retailers including Sainsbury’s suggesting that radical shifts in buying behaviour may prove to be permanent. As for the effects of COVID‑19 on brand strategies going forward, most organizations are currently focused on tweaking and developing messaging that’s sensitive to the times, although radical marketing pivots are not quite so widespread yet. To date, the focus has primarily been on purchasing channhttps://www.smartsheet.com/free-creative-brief-templatesels – with data demonstrating a rapid shift towards online shopping platforms and an increased willingness among shoppers to trial reduced contact solutions such as Sainsbury’s SmartShop and Target’s Drive Up.

Branding since Covid-19: Reconsider your brand values. 

These are good times to revisit and examine the defined value for your brand. Especially if we bear in mind that we’re faced with new circumstances that highlight what’s truly important to each of us as consumers. This will cause a major shift in our priorities and therefore our attitude as consumers.

• Do we have a clear view of who we are as a brand, and who we want to be in the future?
• Can we use our brand proposition to build a story that makes us different from others?
• Is it credible because it reflects who we are?
• Is it relevant to our stakeholders?
• Are our customers concerned about the quality of our product, or are they more interested in the good it can do for us and our environment?

Branding since Covid-19: COVID‑19 on brand strategies

As for the effects of COVID‑19 on brand strategies going forward, most organizations are currently focused on tweaking and developing messaging that’s sensitive to the times, although radical marketing pivots are not quite so widespread yet. Before taking a deep dive into the results, here are our key takeaways:

• 57% of those surveyed believe COVID‑19 will have a lasting impact on their brand/marketing efforts, but it won’t be transformative
• 36% of respondents have actually increased their output of marketing campaigns since the COVID‑19 outbreak
• More than half of those surveyed feel that the need to work remotely has only had a “small impact” or “no impact at all” on team productivity
• The lack of knowledge sharing and content collaboration was rated as the biggest challenge for teams working remotely
• 1 in 2 brand professionals see the development of new messaging, content and campaigns in response to COVID‑19 as their highest branding-related priorityAgainst the backdrop of so much uncertainty, brands no longer have the luxury of engaging in lengthy multi-million-pound product development and marketing cycles. Instead, they need to adopt a faster, test and learn-based approach. Here are six top tips for how brands will need to evolve their models to respond to this seismic shift:

Generate solutions, not just campaigns

 In previous months’ brands have been quick to empathize and inspire us in times of crisis. But that will not be enough anymore. It is easy to do campaigns but unless they bring solutions to consumer’s problems in these changed times, they would be lost in a whiff. Zomato in India said ‘Stay Home’ but they didn’t just end there. They started delivery of groceries and will soon launch contactless dining in light of the scenario. 

Brands need to think about ways in which non-traditional partnerships might help them counter Covid-19 challenges. Snacks are an adjacent sector to takeaway, for example, so maybe there is an argument for piggybacking their delivery network to get products into the home (get a pizza and chocolate from Just Eat at the same time). Retailers like Aldi are selling food parcels that contain 22 products online. Brands should be exploring whether it makes sense for them to be in that bundle or, linking back to the bulk purchasing point, whether they have sufficient products of their own to make up a direct to consumer parcel (think Unilever, P&G).

How can Estio Training help with your Branding

To learn more about how Estio can support your business with developing your Video & Imaging, please take a look at our Digital Marketing apprenticeship. To read more industry insights please take a closer look at our articles relating to the Digital Marketing industry.

Covid-19 Branding Trends | Kaye Putnam

Check out Founder Institute’s 6 successful components to all successful global brand strategies, and shined light on how any type of business can pivot and reposition their brand during Covid-19. 

Get in touch!

To find out more about how Estio Training can support you with developing the very best Digital Apprentices, complete this form to arrange contact with one of our representitives.