Advertisements in the post COVID world

Coronavirus started to flip our life upside down. It caused unease across the globe. Even the advertising industry started facing unprecedented losses due to the outbreak of corona. As many industry consumptions dropping nearly to zero, brands started to cut their advertisement expenditure which consists of a major chunk of their expenditure.

Brands started withdrawing their present ongoing and planned advertising campaigns and started rejigging their media plans to save advertising spends. Also, the production process come to the halt due to the lockdown. There is a change in consumer taste which is a kind of challenge for content creators.

As per various reports, the advertising industry was all set to register around 11-12% growth in 2020. But due to the lockdown, there was single-digit growth in the industry.

Industry insiders say, airline majors, travel and tourism brands, electronic goods, real estate companies, and even some companies that were obtaining goods from China have canceled television commercials.

The Association of Advertising Producers (ASAP) representing 75 producer members, which does approximately 90% of the advertising work in India has decided to pause advertising.

Communicator or the advertising industry can change the way they communicate both internally and externally with the audience. They should make sure to deal with accurate information and not fiction and rumor. As this is not the time to time to market or sell the product so brands should focus on reinforcing the value. The importance is the art of storytelling which can create awareness about the ongoing crisis and issue in a greater context. As the consumer wants brands to be more mindful than being opportunistic in the tough times across the globe. They have to reposition their strategies to push marketing strategies that will not work in this crisis.

As per the Laqshya Media Group report, 86% audience will notice OOH ads as more post lockdown.

As per the KPMG report analyzing the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Media & Entertainment industry. It highlights that media consumption over time has tended to be income inelastic, however, the current environment could result in a dip in media consumption in the near term; and also foresees key trends across Television, Print media, Films, OTT platforms during COVID along with the recovery time for the same.

One good rule of thumb: "Always err on the side of humanity." As marketing is all about understanding the mind of consumers. Currently, people are anxious so it does not give confidence and motivation to purchase.

Here is an explanation about a few brands marketing and their advertising strategies should be empathetic to changes the new reality.

ü Parle reinvents its 1963 kismi logo to signify social distancing. It has rolled out the change in the kissing couple logo. Reinventing its logo denotes the message of social distancing during the crisis.

ü Unilever's detergent brand Surf excel new quarantine advertisement says that daag will stay at home. So it has tweak in its iconic catchphrase to #DaagGharPeRahenge, which means stain will stay at home which is about all the things we used to the outside will wait with us indoor.

ü Dettol came out with its first 'homemade' ad film. It campaign roll out to convey message importance of personal hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

ü Dove came up with the latest campaign "courage is beautiful" which pays tribute to heroes emotionally who fought tirelessly to save our life. This beautiful campaign is designed by Ogilvy.

ü IKEA, the world's largest furniture retailer has released a new advertisement for its Indian market. 'A home full of possibilities', it is a take on how we can reinvent our homes and locked-in lives to whatever form we like.