Ideas vs COVID-19: Changing marketing because of the pandemic

Today’s digitalized world teaches us two things: there will be a tomorrow and tomorrow will be more adaptable. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a great way to describe the current situation. The strongest and smartest will survive. And this doesn’t mean that otherwise, you’d die. Well, not physically. Mental and psychological stress is sometimes more damaging than physical injury. That’s why all over the world, everything has changed since the “common enemy” has arrived. So have brands…

In Armenia brands are gradually showing their counterattacks against the pandemic. Food and beverage brands are reactivating their delivery services, cinemas are publishing lists of must watch movies, bloggers and influencers are spreading a new wave of challenges encouraging people to have fun at home.

In Armenia brands are gradually showing their counterattacks against the pandemic. Food and beverage brands are reactivating their delivery services, cinemas are publishing lists of must watch movies, bloggers and influencers are spreading a new wave of challenges encouraging people to have fun at home.

Also, brands are paying huge attention to CSR and not just for extra points. We’ll come back to this a little later — now it’s time for some statistics…

People’s attitudes and interests are changing during COVID–19. So should brand content. There are already more than 30m emotional posts. Moreover, brand-related publications about COVID-19 have reached 13m. Adjusting channels and content types according to those changes will allow brands to keep afloat and more. Below is the graph of the most popular content types during this period.

• ■  Self-actualization
• ■  Esteem
• ■  Love & Belonging
• ■  Safety needs
• ■  Psychological needs

Self-actualization can be described as the ability to continue development under these conditions. This covers education, personal health and mindset. One should not limit herself as a person and should keep discovering new things.

Esteem means helping those who need it. Different companies across the world provide free products or services to healthcare workers, thus showing their respect and gratitude.

Ridiculously open-minded. The only stereotype we uphold is the image of a copywriter chewing on a pencil with their feet on the table. The only discrimination we allow is the discrimination between good article and article that isn’t good.

Love & Belonging is connecting people despite distances of thousands of kilometers. By providing different entertainment methods, brands try to break down isolation and its impact.

Safety is one the most important factors nowadays. People, first of all, think about their safety, and brands are campaigning to encourage them to follow basic COVID-19 rules not risk themselves.

And finally, besides the psychological attacks our organism may face during “remote life”, we have trouble with our physiological needs. Thus, brands take the responsibility to provide people with the stuff they need, whether it is food, clothing or perfumes transformed into sanitizers.

Looking through these key themes, one is pretty visible. It is terrible to stay in the corner and not act, but it’s much worse to help just for extra points. Thus, brands have to start thinking responsibly because if they don’t, people won’t forgive them tomorrow. People are in need today. People will accept your help. People will remember your help.

So, be agile and take action. Do the right thing.