The effects of living during a once-in-a-lifetime global crisis – high levels of anxiety, fear and stress – will have an impact for years to come.
Brands have also been feeling the chaos, because business as usual is now business unusual.
It’s been a breakout moment for brands that get it right – and may be a defining moment for brands that aren’t engaging appropriately.
As a result, the once high-level concept of purpose has gone from being a nice-to-have to something that is central to successful brand strategy, with the purpose of purpose changed permanently.
While we know that global issues like climate change, clean water and education won’t go away, there has been a shift to the tangible, more immediate needs like support for employees, basic healthcare, personal safety and supply chain management.
Purpose has gotten more personal, focusing on protecting humanity and providing solutions for community issues.
As a result, brands have become more human. Less selling, more doing. Less promotion, more protection. CEOs are acting as the Chief Brand Officer, both internally and externally.
So, how do brands navigate out of the COVID-19 crisis and prepare to restart or reframe
their business?
There’s no agreement on what the “next normal” will look like or when it will happen.
Due to the severity of how some people have been affected, responses must be planned phase-by-phase and day-by-day. While navigating the path forward, engaged brands will need to continue to care for and serve society.
Brands and businesses can move people, caring for and serving society, by being:
But how to move forward?
There’s no one answer for every brand.
We have a framework that will ask you some strategic questions about your own brand dynamic to give you a path forward.
