INTRODUCTION
In just a matter of months, the coronavirus has completely changed the way our society operates. Our new contact-free, stay-at-home world has drastically altered consumer habits and media consumption, forcing many brands to rethink their advertising strategy.
According to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 70 percent of advertisers have already adjusted or paused their planned ad spend in response to COVID-19, and 16 percent are still trying to formulate a course of action.
Following are some tips on how your brand should advertise during these unprecedented times.
ADAPT YOUR CREATIVE AND MESSAGING
Odds are, the creative and messaging strategies that worked for your brand in the past aren’t likely to work now. The coronavirus set a new tone for the times and your ads need to match that current reality.
For instance, avoid creative that depicts inappropriate social behaviors, such as large group gatherings, face-touching or excessive person-to-person contact. You also should stay away from content that could be seen as insensitive (or overly humorous) or language that implies you’re trying to benefit from the current crisis.
Instead, focus on making emotional connections that match current consumer needs. Restaurant brands, for example, should pivot from the traditional dining experience toward safety-first food preparation efforts and curbside pickup and delivery options.
Clothing and retail brands, on the other hand, should push products that align with the stay-at-home culture, like comfortable attire or home improvement supplies.
Whatever your industry, use authentic and reassuring messaging (e.g. “We’re in this together.”) and emphasize how your brand is helpful in our new normal without being overly promotional.
REASSESS YOUR ADVERTISING CHANNELS
People are consuming media differently than they were before the outbreak, so your old game plan may not apply. Take some time to find out where your audience is most active and focus your efforts accordingly.
A recent survey from Statista shows that, in general, Americans are spending more time watching news coverage, using online movie/TV streaming services and watching TV on broadcast channels than before the outbreak. They’re also more active on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
A Global Web Index report breaks this down further, revealing COVID-19 media consumption by generation. For example, right now you’re most likely to reach Gen Z and Millennials with online video ads on social media (e.g. YouTube, TikTok) or streaming platforms like Hulu.
In contrast, you’re likely to have success reaching GenX and Boomers with ads on broadcast television (particularly during news coverage) compared to other channels.
Select the media (and programming) that are most likely to maximize your reach among your target audience and monitor your analytics regularly. Things are likely to change.
START SCENARIO PLANNING
If your brand has been negatively affected by the coronavirus, it may be tempting to stop advertising altogether. Before making this decision, it is important to consider the long-term implications.
Going dark can jeopardize the brand awareness you’ve built and decrease your share-of-mind among consumers, which could hurt sales well after the pandemic is over.
Pay close attention to your competitors. If they are still visible, you should be too, and if they’re not, consider taking advantage of the decreased noise level in your industry to capture consumers’ attention.
If money is tight, consider shifting to more affordable forms of advertising (like social media) instead. That way, you can still be visible while reserving funds for late Q2-Q3 advertising, when things hopefully return to “normal.”
One other option is to test your campaign out on a small scale to gauge results before committing larger marketing dollars.