planning marketing during covid-19

Planning Marketing During COVID-19

Welcome to Part 2 of a 3-part blog series on COVID-19.

Put Society & Community First

NOW is the time to “help more”. It will pay social dividends immediately now and also down the road. There’s no doubt that it takes a lot of effort to build a good name. People more than ever want to vote with their dollars and support a good company that aligns with their values.

TipLook closely inwards, understand the enormous value of your brand image. It doesn’t have to be exhaustive nor expensive to do it right. Do the little things that matter to enhance your reputation and turn it into a competitive advantage. Ultimately it will trickle down to loyalty — which is what we all strive for.

In recent months, almost all of us have been socially-distancing but through that, we’ve found ways to connect with each other, online, on the street (six feet apart), on the phone, on message. In order to understand what “society-first” means we should practice these three things:

Be Community-Focused.
Show you care and don’t be afraid to say it. Show that you’re proud to be part of the community!

Be Positive.
People need hope and spend time with those that are more positive

Ask Yourself: How Can I Help?
Take the time to listen to your audience and plan accordingly.

Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash

What Should My Creative Look Like?

We are living through a global public health crisis. It’s a time filled with fear of the unknown, concerns for our own health and the health of those closest to us, as well as billions of people we don’t know, but whose fate is intertwined with ours.

Look inwardly to your brand strategy and what you were saying pre-Covid, and then think about how to adjust your brand voice/brand personality/ brand message. Your brand has to be sensitive to the new environment that COVID-19 has steered us into.

Refer to your brand essence:

  • What drives your company?
  • What emotion does it make people think of?
  • How can you continue to leverage that, and show care?


Demonstrate that you care, by relating to the moment. Remember to spread positivity and don’t be afraid to make it more real.

During strict social distancing lockdown, A&W ran a TV spot commercial and it really stood out to us. It was bare bones yet compelling. The A&W spokesman featured in their usual commercials was delivering an ultra simple cell phone selfie video.

It made the audience feel that, wow, we are all in this together and ultimately feel good about A&W as a company!

As you can see, it’s a tough time, so please remind yourself that this is not the time of hard selling. Instead, consider volunteering or collaborating with a local charity and making a positive impact in your community. Show that you care through your actions. Remember, your target audience is shopping around for companies that show positive reinforcement in the community.

How Do I Stay Positive and Transparent in My Creative Communications?

  • Communicate openly and honestly
  • Keep it real. Keep it simple.
  • Tone — does the tone of the creative match the context of the situation? (no need for a cool tempo track)
  • Demonstrate that you care/relate to the moment and in your own way, spread positivity.

Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash

Why Should I Engage in Paid Media?

Photo by dole777 on Unsplash

What Channels Should I Invest In?

What Have We Learned?