How brands have to conform to new normal consumers

Welcome back to another step of our journey into the  “New Normal” era, reporting, even in summer, our insights about this new way of living. No more theory, but a real lifestyle, which a lot of companies have already adopted.

The brands had to react to the crisis and to adapt, implementing product changes, and ad hoc communication campaigns. Which segments did the new brands act on?

Every day we help large and small companies to get out of the crisis and to successfully live this new normal phase. We are sure we can do the same with you too, thanks to the many solutions and technologies suitable for this moment. Book a Demo to get a free hands-on demonstration of our platform.

2020 has begun with the advent of a “Black Swan”: a pandemic caused by a new coronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 disease.

The unexpected COVID-19 pandemic has greatly disoriented individuals, brands, and governments, changing the habits of billions of people. What most characterizes the situation that we are experienced was uncertainty.

While uncertainty unites us in this new, unexpected scenario, the intention also arises to better understand our new normal. These uncertainties and ambiguities not only affect people’s lives but also translate, without any discount, on brands. However, this crisis could become an opportunity. In fact, if people’s priorities change, focusing on a need for reassurance, guidance, orientation, so too the expectations that consumers have towards brands change.

“Most of the population is convinced and feels the need for communication from brands, but they expect to receive something different. In particular, people want brands to do their part: 78% believe that they should immerse themselves in context and concretely help people in their everyday life, 75% think they should inform people about that is happening and, according to 74%, they should not take advantage of the situation. ” (source: GroupM, Rethinking 2020. The impact of COVID-19 on business, marketing and communication.)

In uncertain times, people are looking for leaders. An unprecedented situation can, therefore, offer a great opportunity for brands: to emerge from the context and obtain or reaffirm a leadership position not only within the reference market but above all recognized by people.

In this panorama, what have the brands done? How have companies moved to be able to ride out the crisis and limit the damage?

• Many brands have focused on the thing that most make Italy proud all over the world: the Made in Italy – factor. There have been many post-COVID communication campaigns that have leveraged our Italian spirit. For example for the restart, the Italian brand Manila Grace has launched a special collection, dedicated to love for our country, and a communication and social campaign with a strong and evocative name: ‘Made with Italian love’. But not only fashion, even in the F&B sector, the hashtag #mangiaitaliano also became viral (almost 7000 tweets in more than a month)

• During the summer, brands have dedicated to sustainability, to the attention to the environment and quality. All contexts that are so far from the COVID emergency, because people need to get back in touch for everyone’s health.

• Simplify and lighten decisions: in these uncertain times, reservations and financial commitments must be simpler and offer more exit options, to respect people’s anxiety. It is along this line that the main online travel agencies have acted, such as Trivago, Expedia and Tripadvisor, which have simplified their online booking process.

• Emotional validation of what the consumer feels. Communications that show uncertain, frightened, anxious: let’s start by admitting it, we show that it can be talked about, let’s joke (respectfully) about it. A sense of union also felt by the famous jewelry chain Tiffany & Co. that announces the launch of the Tiffany Infinite Strength campaign continuing its commitment to support the most vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19. 100% of the global proceeds from the sale of the jewels in the collection will be donated to the humanitarian organization CARE.

• Admit uncertainty. Admitting that even companies cannot make certain plans for the near future: if brands have an event in two months, let’s not pretend that it is 100% confirmed. They show that they know how to move effectively even in uncertainty, they present plans B, showing flexibility.

It’s all about resilience. The brands that have demonstrated their relevance and usefulness and continue to do so in this period of return to “new” normalcy will be the ones best positioned to strengthen the relationship both in the recovery phase and in the long term. The positive result that emerges today has to do not only with the actions taken during the epidemic but with all the work done with a view to branding over the years because the strongest brands contribute to the resilience of their companies in times of turbulence.

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