It will come as no surprise that the Global events of the last 6 months will have lasting effects on many aspects of our lives - our health, our finances, our working worlds and our social lives. Given the UK have only officially been in lock down for just under 2 months, these notable changes have already solidified themselves as the new 'normal' for many of us. Working in the marketing sector, a big one for me is the c-word (no, not Covid)...communication. What we say, when we say it and on what platform we project it.
Already a nation of digitally-focused communicators, this pandemic has thrown even the most digi-savvy amongst us into new realms - surrendering to Zoom pitches, online client meetings, Friday night family dinners over FaceTime and live legs, bums and tums classes on Instagram. Whilst many of us vow to reduce our screen time, now is hardly the time to put your iPhone facedown and be present. Studies have shown screen time is up on average 185%, since the beginning of the pandemic. I am too embarrassed to check the usage stats on my phone...ignorance really is bliss sometimes. Taking Instagram as an example, this seemingly 'always on' consumption of content has seen brands match this trend - higher frequency of content at typically unusual times (yes, I have nowhere better to be on Saturday evening, so I'll watch your Instagram Live cooking tutorial).
This evolution has forced the hand of many companies and brands - realigning not only the channel of communication, but also their tone and messaging to their target audience. Historically, much of the marketing content we receive is heavily product-led, however many brands are moving towards a brand-led approach, establishing the values and ethics they align with. Whilst this shouldn't be a time to capitalise on catastrophe, this will pave the way for building longer-term consumer loyalty - broadly speaking, consumers seek brands with their values on the correct side of history and are pretty unforgiving when companies air on the side of corporate gain. We recognise businesses need to make money, but amongst the brands I buy into, I've seen a noticeable shift into the commerce of compassion during this time - fashion brands repurposing resource to produce PPE, food chains providing food to NHS workers and online services providing a greater level of free entertainment.
So, what does this mean in the long-term? We are learning in real-time how this virus and its effects are unfolding, and therefore how we respond and the permanency of change are fluid. One thing is for sure though, human beings are hard-wired for connection and although this is typically achieved through physical interaction with others, we continue to find new ways to evolve and appease this basic need. I think we can all agree there has been a stronger sense of communication and community universally since lockdown - a stark contrast to avoiding eye contact during the Monday morning commute on the tube. Although this pandemic has sent a lot into disarray, we continue to find the best way communicate, and maybe, just maybe our communications are more meaningful.
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