• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

Brand lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has really changed our world, most especially the way we work. Brands across the globe have had to make some of the toughest changes in order to suit their customers in this “new normal”.

Here are some brand lessons from the pandemic

The importance of contingency plans

I believe that the most important lesson we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that anything can happen so you have to always be prepared to tackle the problems when they come. This means that only businesses that were flexible and had contingency plans in place were able to adapt as quickly as possible to the changes that came as a result of the crisis. For example, airlines who were able to offer free changes, quick refunds or vouchers for canceled flights, restaurants who pivoted to delivery and/or recipe boxes, and gyms who offered online classes when their physical spaces closed down.

The importance of communication and transparency

The pandemic has also shown the importance of communication and transparency, most especially with customers, stakeholders such as investors, and even staff within a company, in order to build and maintain brand loyalty. Stores such as Tesco and Boots in the UK began sending daily/weekly communications from the CEO to make sure everyone was up to date with all the closures, as well as new measures being put in place at their various outlets. Even airlines communicated future travel, to give customers a sense of calm, that the crisis will be over soon.

The importance of technology

Technology has also proven to be extremely important, especially as most of us have been forced to work from home, making platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Meet, the go-to for connecting with colleagues and clients.

This has also caused more people to be online, meaning that brands who wanted to connect with consumers now had to shift their marketing efforts towards online platforms, causing a lot of key messaging to be updated or completely changed. An example is Nike who released a campaign encouraging people to “Play Inside” during the lockdowns.

We have also seen a lot of innovation come from the crisis – as people continue with social distancing measures, a lot of activities have now become virtual – eg conferences, fashion shows, and even weddings, etc.

The impact on hiring and office space

The pandemic has definitely impacted hiring. More job seekers will demand remote working or more flexible working conditions. Video conference interviews will become even more popular, and onboarding processes will be done online.

Now a lot of companies are rethinking office spaces. If most people can work from home, what really is the point of paying for office space, especially in multiple locations. Will offices become obsolete? I highly doubt this, however, flexible working will increase which will mean fewer people in an office in the same period.

As the world begins to slowly re-open and pivot into the new normal, brands who have shown the most resilience during this crisis will most likely be able to stand the test of time.
Tosin Omowole works at a London based PR agency, Wimbart PR, with some of the fastest-growing businesses in the African technology ecosystem, such as Kobo360 and Jobberman. Previously, she worked with Lagos based Redrick PR in the Fashion and Lifestyle sector, creating and implementing world-class digital PR strategies for established brands such as Lagos Fashion Week and Mitsubishi Motors Nigeria.