Brand conversations during COVID-19
COVID-19 has led to a massive upheaval in how organisations communicate. Here are some of my favourite marketing and PR examples from my network.
Image credit: The Bigger Picture
Organisations typically have one of two responses to a crisis: they either go silent or they over communicate. You’ll have observed examples for yourself during the COVID-19 crisis. The best responses are rooted in listening, engaging and providing support to customers.
The crisis has led to a massive shift to digital communications as organisations pile into email, social and web. Most outdoor, experiential, events, meetings and print simply don’t work.
It’s led to a saturation and brands struggling to cut through. We’ve quickly learnt that it’s not possible to replicate physical campaigns or events in a digital space.
Digital as a democratic media
Organisations frequently overlook the fact that the internet is democratic. Consumers have access to the same media and channels. They can both create their own content and answer back.
Here's the issue. Most organisations communicate in a way that would be more appropriate for a Roman Emperor almost 2000 years ago than the modern internet. It remains top down command and control. Information trickles down an organisation and is broadcast via increasing numbers of branded owned and shared channels.
You can build gorgeous apps and websites. You can publish beautiful branded content via Instagram and Facebook. But if your product or service doesn't meet a customer’s expectation and you don't give them the opportunity to have a proper conversation with you, they’re going to use those channels to call you out.
Needy friends who don’t listen
Organisations often aren’t very good at conversations. Like a needy friend they want to talk about themselves all the time.
Instead of listening they shout about their latest products or services. Industrialised marketing techniques have been retrofitted onto the internet. It’s a poor basis for engagement and it plainly doesn’t work.
Almost everything that we have learnt about the impact of the internet on organisations in the last two decades was foretold by a book published in 1999.
The Cluetrain Manifesto set out 95 thesis, suggesting that organisations would need to respond to the opportunity offered by the internet to create relationships, and become more human. It’s a theme at the heart of Douglas Rushkoff’s new book Team Human.
Empathy and understanding are critical to good conversations. There’s been a range of responses by organisations in my personal network. The nature of organisational conversations depends on how both they and their customers have been impacted by the crisis.
Businesses in lockdown
The lockdown has had a dramatic impact on entertainment, events, retail, travel and transport. Businesses in these markets have cut costs and sought government help in order to survive the crisis. Here the role for marketing and public relations is to share the experience of lockdown, plan for once lockdown eases and support customers and staff.
LNER operates the East Coast mainline from London to Scotland. It’s running a reduced service for essential travel online. It is continuing to update its customers with travel and timetable updates. Its tone has shifted to conversational and supportive. It’s sharing a series of train driver cab rides on YouTube and its social media managers are reading for kids from books including Thomas the Tank Engine.
Greggs, the bakers, shut down all its outlets at the outset of the lockdown but has been engaging with customers via social media. A series of Greggs It Yourself video recipes have been shared widely. It’s a great means of engaging customers during lockdown.
Tourist destinations are having a tough crisis with no one travelling during lockdown but savvy destination marketing organisations have used the crisis as an opportunity to remind their community about the location. The Derbyshire Spirit and Visit Auckland are beautiful video shorts that have been created to promote the natural beauty and culture of Derbyshire and Auckland respectively.
Adapting to new markets
This is an interesting area in which some organisations have shown strong leadership. Education providers have gone online, wholesalers are selling direct to the public, and manufacturers have retooled production to make safety equipment. Here the role of practitioners is supporting organisations entering new markets.
Joe Wickes, The Body Coach, runs exercise sessions on YouTube each morning for his two million subscribers. Martin Lewis, MoneySavingExpert, has worked hard to explain the support available from the government to people facing financial hardship via his newsletter, Twitter and website. Jack Munroe, food writer, journalist and activist is helping her community cook its way through lockdown.
I didn’t know so many CEOs cared so much about me but Sainsbury’s sent reassuring emails from CEO Mike Coupe about the safety of staff, supply chains and stores. Initially Sainsbury’s over communicated but settled into a regular cadence of providing information when it has an update.
Where lots of restaurants have simply shut down, Elder & Wolf is local restaurant in Whitley Bay that has reskinned its website and is operating home deliveries from its menu via WhatsApp. It’s proved popular in our household.
The Bigger Picture is a photographic and video agency in the North East of England. It has pivoted to record stories about the crisis and provide web services. It has published a stunning montage of words and images telling the story of the local region and its people.
Public information
Local government, health services and blue light services have redirected all communication to providing public information that supports the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Apps, social media channels and websites have been switched to providing a local context to government guidance. Practitioners have never been busier.
Newcastle City Council is signposting to information about support and information from business loans and schools to funerals. It is starting to talk about the release of lockdown and reopening of services.
Doncaster Council has gone a stage further. It tells history lessons via threads and memes on Twitter. A recent story about the Australian agricultural industry’s battle with emus in the 1930s, likened the emu’s response of isolating to surviving with the COVID-19 lockdown.
Growth opportunities
There are a few areas of the economy that have not only proved to be resilient but are experiencing growth through the crisis. These include supermarkets, online retail, telecom and IT providers. They haven’t missed a beat. The challenge here is to meet new levels of demand without being opportunistic. It’s a fine line to tread.
Netflix, SkyTV and Zoom are all focused on customer service. Marketing is always-on and customer service has moved to digital channels.
Don’t post shit on the internet, it’s a conversation
The internet is a conversation. People and organisations have all piled in during the crisis. If you have a role in communicating on behalf of an organisation please start by listening, be useful and communicate in a human way. Don’t post shit on the internet. There’s plenty enough out there already.
