Coronavirus is Changing our Communication Culture

The entire world is couped up for the foreseeable future. Will we ever get back to regular life? Yes, we will, but not before we see a gradual shift in the way we communicate, do business and go about our daily lives. In a recent conversation with friend and colleague Greg Williams of DeepMap Creative, he mentioned,” It takes only 30 days to create a new habit and 90 days to make that habit a change in lifestyle.” 

This concept got me thinking. Coronavirus popped its ugly head on this planet back in November and China, for the most part, is still dealing with the disease. This stands to reason that the rest of the world will be stuck with the pandemic for several months. In the US, some major markets are already on week 3 of quarantine and it is evident on social channels that the ways we entertain, communicate, and do business are drastically changing. This is what is going on out there in the digital wild.

Relaxed Working Requirements

We are in a period of forced quarantine and, right now, there is no definitive deadline as to when it might end. This is forcing a large amount of the global workforce to work from home. Here are some tips to be successful. But what does this mean for the workforce? What will this paradigm shift look like?

PREDICTION: Out with the 9 to 5. Companies all around the globe will realize they can trust their employees and require less time in the office. Employees will be able to have more work/life balance, travel freely, and work from any place where they feel comfortable and have strong internet access. Employees will be more productive, happier, and will feel more connected to the overall business. We will see a shift from the full-time worker to a permalance type of role which will free employees up to take on side work. This will come with its pros and cons. Bosses will judge the quality of the work and employees will not have to worry about office politics to finally see that promotion.

Social Media Concerts

Artists of all levels of popularity have turned to social media to uplift their fans with free concerts while others play for tips to keep the lights on. Garth Brooks & his wife Trisha Yearwood broke the internet when 3.4 million viewers tuned in to a free concert on Facebook.

Singer/Songwriters turn to social media to stay afloat after cities shut down restaurants and bars by doing daily feature showcases on Tick Tock, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Artists such as Austin, TX-based Modern Day Midas turnVenmo, CashApp, and PayPal into their virtual guitar case as they ask for tips just as they normally would at any public venue. Raul Adrian Ochoa, Midas' real name, stated in a recent video, "They took away our venues, but they can't take away our voice and we still have to eat." Please consider making a donation to your favorite artist!

?PREDICTION: Lesser-known artists will continue to share their art this way to supplement their incomes. Smart A-list artists will see how beneficial this type of intimate fan engagement will improve their personal brands, spark interest, increase listenership and sell concert tickets.

Social Singalongs

PREDICTION: Just as flashmobs were once the cool thing to do, this could potentially spark a new live stream trend. Imagine if the next generation of choirs, actors, musicians were not limited to the kids that attended their school's art programs and could learn and hold recitals from anywhere on the planet? Imagine what we could learn from one another and how far we could push ourselves to improve our crafts!

In-Home Movie Premiers

NBCUniversal broke with industry standards opting to release new film releases directly into homes by following the Pay-Per-View model in order to save upcoming releases. The New York Times reports, "Those films are “The Hunt,” a horror satire that arrived in theaters last weekend; “The Invisible Man,” which has been playing in theaters since Feb. 20; and “Emma,” a new take on the classic Jane Austen novel that arrived in theaters on March 6." Comcast reports the movies will be available for a 48-hour rental period and will cost on average $19.99.

PREDICTION: This time of quarantine will act as a global test market and studios will look at the numbers and determine releasing in-home and in-theater is not so bad. The data will show there is not much disparity between the two modes of release. Studios will opt for a dual release option in the future and eventually adjust ticket prices to match theaters. Hopefully, studios will release with some sort of incentive similar to Regal Movies "See Them All, Own Them All," type program that will allow movie-goers to obtain a digital copy with each movie ticket.

Netflix Party

Netflix Party allows users to host remote movie nights with friends and family. When theaters are closed and home movies are limited to small groups, have a Netflix Party! Here is a tutorial on how to use the service.

PREDICTION: While I have to admit, this platform is pretty cool, but I don't really see this as an alternative to the real thing. After all, it is pretty difficult to beat getting together over a bowl of delicious popcorn. Remote viewing parties do bring people, mainly families, together, however, it is my prediction this will eventually be banned by Netflix and/or other streaming platforms due to usage rights infringement.

Virtual Happy Hours

Just because you can't go OUT for drinks, doesn't mean you can't go IN for drinks! Let's face it, hanging out with friends and colleagues is important. Socializing is important! One law firm held a virtual happy hour in order to connect teammates and family. Here is the story.

PREDICTION: This is very cool regarding our current situation, but let's face it, there is no beating the clink of a cocktail glass at happy hour and drinking at home makes it difficult to put it on your bosses tab.

While it is too soon to see the long-lasting shifts in the way Coronavirus has impacted our society and culture, I think we can all agree, this thing sucks. That in itself has made our world a little bit smaller and hopefully made us a little bit more open-minded to the ideas of others.

If you see any other trends out there or think of any other ways Coronavirus has impacted business, please feel free to comment or email the author, Omarr Cantu - [email protected].