Brands should continue to advertise during times of pandemic and recession and adapt their messaging to fit the moment.
If budgets allow, brands should consider adjusting, but still continuing their advertising. As audiences shift their interests, then you need to be a part of that conversation. Your brand should be present in the lives of your audience no matter the economic circumstance to demonstrate stability and retain awareness. This advertising endurance has been proven to increase sales. During the Great Depression, Kellogg’s doubled their advertising spend while packaged cereal category leader, Post, cut back their budget significantly. Kellogg’s even launched a new cereal named Rice Krispies during this time. By 1933, profits increased 30% and Kellogg’s had replaced Post as the top cereal brand, a position it has now held for decades.
Many brands have experienced growth during difficult times because they took the opportunity to increase market share when competitors pulled back. It’s easy to do nothing and attempt to wait out the storm, but by maintaining your brand presence through advertising, you are showing commitment to your product and also your consumers. If you choose to go quiet right now, you may be quiet for a while.
If you’re going to do something, do it well.
Inboxes have been flooded with company emails explaining safety precautions and steps taken to support both customers and employees. While these updates seem mandatory, they are becoming repetitive along with the constant influx of news and buzzwords surrounding the coronavirus. Based on our friends and family survey, the majority of participants felt concerned and overwhelmed after viewing COVID-19 related ads, some stating that they are a constant reminder of the somber reality. How can we as advertisers spread optimism and positivity instead?
Companies that are adapting their ads to reflect this new normal need to stay strategic and on-brand in their messaging. Brands know their audience better than anyone and should be able to directly address new consumer challenges. There’s no need to remind the world of regulations or the current obstacles that we all face. Guinness, whose recent St. Patrick’s Day spot rated high on both likeability and relatability, never encouraged social distancing, but it did contain a positive message of unity, upbeat music, and high quality branded imagery. Now more than ever, consumers want to be understood and entertained.
Stay relevant but don’t be opportunistic
Brands are always battling to stay relevant in the marketplace and a sudden change in reality can cause an immediate negative reaction to what was once thoughtful marketing. Commercials featuring gatherings of people, friendly hugs and “finger lickin’ good” slogans are suddenly cringeworthy as our brains are re-trained to perceive these usually pleasant moments as shocking. As an advertiser, you certainly do not want to be perceived as ignorant to your audience.
There’s a fine line for advertisers between being strategic and opportunistic in moments of adversity.
Companies should use empathy when developing all communications as consumer understanding and decisions may be led by emotions versus logic. Stories of kindness and positivity will resonate as this is a rare occasion for brands to appear heroic and humane. Messaging around products or services should not be forced as that can appear advantageous instead of helpful.
Don’t just talk about it, take action.
Recent advertising is all echoing a similar message of support as businesses push to prove that they are “here for you” and “here to help.” These popular phrases are meant to be powerful words of solidarity but words can only go so far when people are anticipating solutions from companies that they trust. We’ve seen an overwhelming amount of comments from consumers in our survey and across social media who are disappointed in the lack of intention. One response says,