There are a million ways your brand can adapt during COVID-19

For brand marketers, the COVID-19 crisis has forced them into unprecedented upheaval. With the ground shifting rapidly beneath their feet, what exactly should they focus on right now? It’s a tough decision – but it is possible to come out the other side with a stronger brand. Here at DCMN we’ve been working with a whole host of digital brands for over ten years and are well weathered to handle a crisis, as I explained last week. 

Something else to note: gross TV reach last week in Germany marked a year on year increase of 26%. “For advertisers, every restriction on corona could potentially lead to more reach,” said our resident TV advertising expert Sebastian G?ritz. In short: all media channels are currently exhibiting high reach, as well as lower prices, which means it’s opportunity time. This really is a great time to get your brand out there.

We thought long and hard this past week about how brands can adapt in this time of crisis, but in order to understand the impact better we realized that there are four categories of brands which are affected differently. So first, let me explain the four categories that your brand could fit in…

1. The pure digitals

Born digitals have always been a big part of what we do here at DCMN. These are brands that offer a fully digital client experience. Amongst others, this spans a number of verticals including e-health (check out the likes of Medloop or Teleclinic) to online gaming like Wargaming and Wooga. Then there’s online education, including the likes of Babbel and Blinkist, and OTT platforms like Deezer, too. They’ll all be hot in demand over the next few months. Let’s not forget the platforms that facilitate remote working, from Zoom to Slack, that have become an even more crucial part of our working infrastructures in the last week. 

2. The digital hybrids

Many brands have built their success digitally, but include offline touchpoints. Ecommerce –- from the Amazon juggernaut to the likes of Wayfair, with the crucial physical component being the delivery section – has an unpredictable period ahead. Or taxi and rideshare apps for instance, which are already facing a big loss in business. The offline aspect of their business is now, after all, out of anybody’s control. But, depending on the business, some still have the digital side to rely on.

3. The pure offliners

There are the purely offline businesses, whether firmly bricks and mortar or offering a service only possible in-person. These sadly include hotels and coffee shops, which now are mostly shut. Let’s hope they will be back soon.

4. The transformers

These are the potential new digitals – offliners with online potential. My personal trainer for instance, who is now offering a whole host of classes online to his former offline clients, or my colleague Zilke, who previously lived in London and missed her yoga studio. Now she’s doing courses online with them! The opportunity to transform exists – but it requires creative skill and adaptation will.

What’s next?

First and foremost, it’s important to figure out in which category you fit. Once you’ve worked that out, it’s time to move forward. The next step applies to all: do the math! To ensure things are in order, stabilizing the business is the first priority. And then collect your creative ideas for how your brand can move forward, and decide on the three with the most potential. Keep your ideas streamlined so you can move forward swiftly.

Yes, but what are these ideas?

I understand it’s not the right time for a big sales push for some – products like perfume and cars will understandably be less in demand at the moment – but then it’s time to talk about social responsibility and how you contribute to that. A Cone Communications report from 2015 showed that more and more consumers are above all else interested in the brand’s purpose. After all, if a brand doesn’t have a purpose, what is it other than a soulless vessel to make profit? It’s not about increasing sales right now – it’s already likely for many that they will be down across the board – but about increasing value and showing that you care.

So, if you’re a pure digital, be generous. Take the example of 8fit, who are giving away one free month of subscription to their app with different workouts. There’s no doubt they could have made more money during this month. Instead they decided to help those stuck in their homes. That’s not to say that everything should now be given away for free – robust sales are important for the economy right now. But in the case of 8fit: that’s a savvy and creative long-term brand decision.

This goes to the hybrids too, who may have to spend less but still need to focus on profit. If you need too, there are many ways to decrease your media budget but keep your brand marketing up. Keep analysing your target group, which is undeniably bigger and possibly broader right now. Then it’s time to think about your communication - how are you going to benefit your audience? This is a tough period, but it’s still worth investing in the brand you want to be after this has all blown over. 

There is a world after corona – start preparing

For the pure offliners, think about the aftermath – even if it’s hard right now. If people have loved your service up until now, they will do so in a post-corona world, too. An initiative well-worth supporting right now is the global #SupportYourLocal campaign, which promotes the activities of small, local businesses during this time, including buying vouchers for your favourite restaurants, bars and cafes that you can use once they reopen. The message? Utilise the strength of your brand (and capitalise on the current solidarity among customers) to generate immediate revenue and ensure your future survival.

And the transformers? Get creative. Go online and use your skills for good. Think about if it’s possible to adapt your business model for the current climate. It’s a chance to monetise an up-to-now unused strength of yours. There’s potential there waiting to be unleashed.

Our team at DCMN is available for a free consulting session whenever you wish. Get in contact with us at [email protected] to discuss what your brand can do.