Marketing that resonates strengthens the relationship between customers and brands. On the other hand, marketing messaging that ignores context and current concerns makes customers feel like brands do not relate to them and what they’re going through. That’s why the survival of brands now depends on being agile enough to pivot around the stark reality the world is facing under the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
Notice of Changes and Closed Stores
When coronavirus hit the United States, all shopping attention shifted to groceries and other items people considered necessary for an extended amount of time locked at home. That resulted in long lines at stores like Costco, Target, and supermarkets that were wholly cleared of some standard items, most notoriously toilet paper.
The demand for fashion, which usually would be strong as we enter into a new season, was pushed aside by more pressing concerns. While some retail stores (that did not carry what’s considered essential products) did stay open for a few weeks into March, at this point most are closed either of their own volition to protect their employees and customers or because they were ordered to close by local governments.
Brands did reach out to their customers to let them know if their stores were closed altogether or had modified hours. Even the essential items stores have cut their hours to allow time for cleaning up and restocking. Many have also introduced special shopping hours at the earliest time they open for the most vulnerable of the population who still need to eat. All customers need to be aware of such changes to plan their own shopping times and to be prepared to wait in a line to enter a store that is limiting the total number of shoppers allowed in at one time.
The Challenges of The Virtual Shift
It makes sense in the current climate that customers will turn to online options when they have no store option. Those who are subject to quarantine restrictions or just wish to self-isolate for their own protection also buy online. Staying home and maintaining social distance is now considered the most socially responsible action, and some brands have made that the theme of their current marketing messaging, as IKEA demonstrated in putting together a #StayHome video to replace the campaign it had planned on.
Brands can’t just keep up their planned campaigns with standard spring holiday themes or the like in the face of routines that have shifted from standard work, school, and social activities. Now everyone who can be transitioned has moved to working from home, schools are shut indefinitely, and all holiday parties and family get-togethers are off the table. That means that your standard Easter celebration type images would not go over well.
This is clearly a time of uncertainty for brands, as well, who struggle with the question of what their marketing messages should be. For those who don’t have to sell to their audience, it’s easier to keep up positive messages that reinforce connections, as well-demonstrated by the MoMA and Pinterest.
But some brands, particularly the D2C variety, cannot just wait out the crisis without sales – they have serious challenges to contend with now. In the face of so much uncertainty and the grim reality of lost income, people are understandably reluctant to spend on what’s not essential. There is also less of an incentive to buy clothes when you’re not going out to see people socially or at work.
What Brands Can Do
Aside from retailers communicating with customers who were in the habit of buying in store to let them know how they can order online, brands also have to be clear on their shipping and return policy.
It also can be helpful to have to explain what measures are in place to assure the safety of their products, in case customers are concerned that the packages can transmit the virus. With so much information about the viability of viruses on surfaces, they may find it helpful to direct them to resources like the Coronavirus Resource Center from Harvard Health Publishing.
Beyond that, brands are adopting a number of tactics to keep their customers aware of what they offer and what they are doing to be helpful at a most difficult time. That can convey that they deserve their business.
1.Brands are offering special promotions. Usually, a brand doesn’t need to do so much to incentivize purchases from the lineup of fashion, but this year more brands are offering the discounts. The reason is obvious: when people don’t feel a pressing need to get a new outfit for a social occasion or work event, they need more motivation to buy. However, as some customers can’t even think beyond survival mode right now, brands have to be mindful not to push too hard or bombard their customers with emails and texts about sales.
2. They are reaching out to their customers with communication that shows empathy and a commitment to doing their part. For example, in addition to coming across as authentic in its email about marketing amid coronavirus, UK-based Boden, now added that it is supporting the people most affected by the pandemic: the patients and health providers by sending them clothes. It’s a nice gesture that consumers can appreciate and can make them feel this is a brand worth supporting.
Other brands have pivoted not just their messaging but even their manufacturing shifted their clothing manufacturing operations to making masks and other protective gear for medical or personal protection. These include: Bauer, Canada Goose, Eclipse International, Fanatics, Gap, H & M, Hanes, Hedley & Bennett Nomad, and Zara, among others. Other well known brands have pivoted to produce hand sanitizer.
3.Brands are shifting what they highlight about their offerings to conform to the new reality that people who have shifted to working from home confront. So instead of focusing on polished office looks, Banana Republic is now highlighting “WHAT TO WEAR AT HOME” that includes the sub-categories of “COZY AT HOME” and “VIDEO CHAT READY.” That shows customers that they’re aware of context and meeting current needs.
Even brands that are seeing an uptick in their business due to the shift to online orders of things people may need during this period of quarantine or self-imposed isolation, like Amazon, are still trying to engage with customers on the human level.
Accordingly, the online platform just emailed a contest to increase engagement and ideas for staying connected while maintaining social distancing.
No question about it, these are challenging times. There’s a lot of anxiety and fear in the face of the unprecedented situation of a pandemic that has knocked out all our standard work and leisure routines. It’s important for marketers to not just sit it out as they wait for things to go back to normal, though. They have to pivot to be responsive to their customer needs and concerns to maintain the relationship with them.
For more guidance, tune in to Optimizing Email Deliverability in Times of a Crisis, by Optimove’s Director of Email Marketing, Dana Shirlen, on Thursday, April 2nd at 10:00 AM EST / 3:00 PM BST.