Marketing in a Time of Mourning

There’s so much and so very little to say in the face of the Queen’s death.

As with many other people, she's the only monarch I've ever known. Regardless of your position on the Royal Family - the scandals, the tradition, the politics - they remain a key part of the British identity, at home and abroad; it was an American friend who messaged me about the news first, offering condolences from thousands of miles away. That was a strange feeling.

The feeling hasn't gone away, not yet. Witnessing the country mourning on such a scale has put on display how steeped in tradition we truly are, while also revealing how unprepared we all were to react in ways that might have surprised us. I went to the theatre that night, where a two minute silence took place, a group of strangers staring straight ahead at the empty stage, all at once aware of the historical moment and wishing to move on with the show.

Having experienced seventy years on the throne, fifteen Prime Ministers, and a slew of historical world events, there’s no doubt that we’ll have plenty to remember her Majesty for. She leaves behind the legacy of a long and extraordinary life. Again, how you might feel about that life could well differ, but it's undeniable that it's been an eventful one.

I'll leave my own words there, and simply send my condolences to the Royal Family at this time.

A few years ago, The Guardian’s Sam Knight penned an article that probed the long-dormant ‘Operation London Bridge’ protocol – a plan that would allegedly take us from the Queen’s death through to the ascension of her successor and beyond.

Perhaps what we didn’t know at the time was that the event would happen sooner than expected, that the news would be made more difficult to break due to?social media mishaps, and that its impact would be further reaching than assumed.

This week, I thought it would be interesting to look at how that impact has touched marketers. We're used to disruptions for breaking news, but this is national mourning on a scale few of us (if any) will have experienced before - mourning that comes tied to traditions and expectations.

How Did Marketers React?

Because of these traditions - and as a mark of respect - many advertisers and publishing platforms?paused ads and campaigns. Among them is JCDecaux, who suspended commercial advertising on their digital billboards, instead using them to pay tribute to the Queen - a gesture set to be repeated on her funeral.

Brands also reacted with campaign cancellations to show their respect and reflect the mood of the nation. Burberry, who received a royal warrant in 1955, announced the cancellation of their Spring/Summer runway show out of respect for the Queen's passing. Elsewhere, everything from strike action to running events have been impacted, with brands treading carefully to align simultaneously with tradition and their customers' sentiments.

Meanwhile, I hear from my own network that some in public sector comms roles are navigating a freeze on events, press releases, and social media activity. For those marketers, work is happening entirely behind the scenes, out of sight of the public until after the Queen's funeral.

How Should Marketers React?

Back in 2018, The Drum’s Katie Deighton penned a fascinating read that glimpsed into the future to answer that question. In her article, Deighton asks the question a few of us will have been thinking without saying aloud:?how *should* marketers react to the death of Queen Elizabeth II?

It's too good a read for me to spoil it by regurgitating Deighton's ideas here, but it's interesting to spot the similarities and differences between her advice and what the industry is saying now.

The overall message seems to be to navigate the situation with sensitivity and care - as one would expect - though brands are especially being urged to 'look inward' rather than opt for showy displays. Campaigns attempting to leverage the news are most likely a huge no-no, and could cost companies and marketing departments; it's too big a risk for anybody to be taking. And yet, there's always one...

What Happens Next?

In the following days, more questions will be answered as preparations for the Queen’s funeral ramp up.

It's certainly expected that advertisers will again suspend ads on the day of the Queen's funeral, with the marketing world going a little quieter amidst the proceedings. From there, who knows? In reality, life will go on as it did before, with ads and campaigns gearing back up under the reign of King Charles III.

During that time, we might also gain some logistical insights into how the Royal Mint and Royal Mail plans to roll out the?rebranding?of currency and stamps. It seems a trivial subject to ponder, but for a nation in mourning, it’s something of a distraction to consider coins and portraits - if only to keep our minds from the uncomfortable feeling that something’s that's always been there on the periphery of our lives is suddenly gone.

Vaping giant Juul has been?ordered to pay $438.5m?to end a probe questioning its advertising after the underage market swelled. The deal also comes with some heavy restrictions on their marketing moving forward – posing quite the challenge.

This week, my favourite story comes from Marketing Week's Peter Weinberg and Jon Lombardo. I fully agree with their sentiment: this is the B2B century, and marketers will be at the helm. I feel quite strongly about this take, with B2C marketing being the first thing people think of when you say you work in marketing. B2B isn't too niche anymore...

Last week saw a lot of CRM building taking place – this week’s the clean-up. Isn’t that always the most fun part of the job? No, it's not. Nobody ever said that. Still, it’s got to be done. I’ll be starting my week by briefing the team on what’s changed, before sweeping up the remnants of the old way of doing things. Time for a fresh start!

Have a super week, and thanks for joining me!

Please note: due to the upcoming Bank Holiday, there won't be an MMB on 19th September.