COVID-19 has brought chaos everywhere it goes. And it’s also brought change, both negative and positive. In a recent webinar with Appetite Creative Solutions we looked at how more change took place in 10 weeks than was predicted to take place in 10 years.
“When change comes, so does opportunity”, Jenny Stanley, Founder and MD of Appetite Creative.
A theme running throughout the discussion were the opportunities that abound during this period and how businesses pivoted quickly by embracing digital transformation and more flexible ways of working. More brands than ever explored Direct to Consumer (DTC) and click & collect models and most businesses have had to work from home and communicate via video conferencing.
As a result of reduced mobility, interest in consumer behaviour increased as businesses and governments around the world tried to make sense of what was happening. Decentralisation of living led to local stores experiencing surges in shoppers, requiring businesses to review and refine logistics and operations. People paid more attention to the customer experience, from the safety measures in place to the time spent in queues. And for brands this required a renewed focus on customer loyalty to ensure repeat purchases.
Underpinning this adaptability was a rise in the understanding of soft skills and resilience, not just for withstanding the shock of the initial pandemic but preparing for the future, with additional waves of the virus or economic downturns. Consumer brands that succeeded demonstrated that they understood what their consumers were going through and that they were powered by real people going through similar challenges, fears and uncertainties. Living the value of being a customer-centric company came through as essential, not just for survival but for revival.
Nicole Yershon, Founder of The NY Collective and Phil Livingstone, Ex Global Director of Digital Marketing at The Body Shop and former Head of Digital Marketing, Social Media & Content at British Gas shared some key lessons for the media and marketing industries
- Don’t be scared of change
- Stay close to your customer
- The brand is a person more than ever, it’s not just a business
Watch the discussion below or listen to the podcast version on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The speakers on the webinar included:
- Fabiola Stein, Global Head of B2B Marketing at HP
- Christina Kao, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Camelia Beauty
- Jenny Stanley, Founder and MD of Appetite Creative
- Jeremy King, CEO of Festival of Media and M&M Global
- Nicole Yershon, Founder of The NY Collective
- Phil Livingstone, Ex Global Director of Digital Marketing at The Body Shop and former Head of Digital Marketing, Social Media & Content at British Gas
- Alex Wright, Head of Insight at Blis.
