Things Have Changed. 5 Ways Your Brand Should Speak to the COVID Generation
As the dumpster fire that is 2020 continues to rage on, things continue to change in what seem to be permanent ways. Small businesses have had no reprieve from their struggles, in-person retail is slowly becoming an artifact of history, exposing your face in public is controversial.
Things are different, forever.
Companies can no longer view their brand strategy in 6-12 month chunks but rather begin looking at it with a generational outlook. People are communally experiencing something and no one who understands what’s happening will ever forget it. Everyone who has lived during this period belongs to the COVID Generation. The only brands that will survive among us for years to come are the ones that speak to us as if they truly understand what this was like.
Screenshots of your employees on a Zoom call? Not interested. Show us you actually learned that modern technology doesn’t require physical presence to get work done and permanently establish a full remote work option for your employees. Donated some food to nurses? That’s cute but we’d really be impressed if you created a nonprofit arm that provides free childcare to those working in the medical field instead. Sharing heartfelt statements from your CEO about whatever injustices the news happens to be covering at the moment? Save it. There needs to be real diversity in your organization, especially at the decision-making executive level.
“Where your company was once competitive, it needs to be compassionate. Where your marketing team once focused on distinction, it needs to focus on dignity.”
Now it’s understandable that most companies are still reeling from the economic impact of the pandemic and can barely get their arms around anything right now, much less a massive rebranding. To be fair though, the pandemic has been part of the public consciousness for nearly a year; next week will make it 4 months since lockdowns went into effect. There has been plenty of time to begin reorienting the tone and overall brand direction of any company.
Where your company was once competitive, it needs to be compassionate. Where your marketing team once focused on distinction, it needs to focus on dignity. Soften the edges of your message, your operations and your identity as a company and you will have loyal customers served by even more loyal employees. Here are five easy things you can do now to align with the newly shaped consumer consciousness:
Start Thinking About Pricing. Your customers have been through a lot this year and the economic effects of it all will continue to be felt for a long time. If there are ways you can make operations more efficient so you can lower prices while remaining profitable, begin implementing them immediately.
Build Something Meaningful and Permanent. Donating money or food or even your own products once won’t be remembered by anyone. Sorry but it won’t. Instead, start gathering some of your greatest minds and begin formulating a plan to develop a way your company can bake in giving back to a vulnerable group to its permanent structure.
Develop Current Diverse Talent in Your Ranks. The COVID Generation is one that is going to be conscious of diversity for a very long time. Saying you support things won’t go far enough anymore if it’s not backed up with meaningful action. So begin a high potentials program in your organization and encourage women and minorities to join with the intention of creating a more diverse executive team in the future. That’s how change is actually done.
If What Your Company Does is No Longer Relevant, Change It. A lot of companies are trying to figure out how to make their products or services relevant in the COVID era and in many cases they are trying to square a circle. If what your company does just doesn’t work anymore, change it. Whatever pain this causes your organization is minor compared to meeting its demise at the hands of history.
Develop a Visual Presence that Aligns with All of This. This one is deliberately last on the list. Once you’ve actually accomplished the aforementioned, then you should redesign your look and feel to align with it. (Doing this part and none of the others will wreak of inauthenticity and your customers will quickly detect it). Think about colors, slogans, messaging tone and images that capture the compassion and dignity of a company that “gets it.” The only way to do that, however, is to actually get it.
Rebranding isn’t a walk in the park. It takes thought, precision and expertise. If you need to think about your brand strategy going forward in this new era, contact us today.