In times like these Brands should not stop investing in marketing, as it’s more important now than ever. The question is how they should be spending their time, energy and marketing dollars while doing it with less talk and more action. As a Brand Strategist I worked a lifetime with clients to discover true “points of friction.” Great brands solve problems, large or small, they remove the friction for their consumers, they fix stuff, make it easier, faster or more enjoyable. We’re currently in a state of FRICTION; it’s everywhere. So great brands need to rethink what they can help fix, in order to thrive during a crisis.
Unfortunately some brands have used the coronavirus pandemic to cut marketing budgets or to make matters even worse they are pumping out witless superficial ads and messages from CEOs. The brands that are still investing actually fall into a few Myers & Briggs personality types.
Will Your Brand’s Personality Cause You to Dive or Thrive During a Crisis?
The Healer
INFPs are imaginative idealists, guided by their own core values and beliefs. To a Healer, possibilities are paramount; the reality of the moment is only of passing concern. They see potential for a better future, and pursue truth and meaning with their own flair.
Brands as Healers position themselves as caring brands. They lead with an urgent message (words) that they really do care. They want you to know that they get it. These campaigns leverage a sort of faux empathy often coming directly from the CEO to prove the urgency. These brands are talking a good game and spreading a message of “we care”, as if just words is valuable.
But it’s not really enough.
The Counselor and The Dynamo
INFJs (Counselors) are creative nurturers with a strong sense of personal integrity and a drive to help others realize their potential. Creative and dedicated, they have a talent for helping others with original solutions to their personal challenges.
ESTPs (Dynamos) are energetic thrill seekers who are at their best when putting out fires, whether literal or metaphorical. They bring a sense of dynamic energy to their interactions with others and the world around them.
Brands that are Dynamos and Counselors are the brands that are using smart marketing (actions) that’s genuinely contributing something useful to their existing customers and new customers, while also effectively marketing their business.
They want to fix something that broken. It is all about Proof over Promise. These Dynamic Brands know how to leverage their product, materials, processes, partners and services to truly add value in time of need. They are making quick and thoughtful adjustments.
It’s amazing to witness numerous alcohol manufacturers are repurposing their factories to make hand sanitizers. Brands with textile experience are making protective face masks and gowns for those on the front line. Restaurants are popping up to serve curbside and deliver. Many local restaurants are offering free lunches and donating food to local food banks. Even Burger King gave us a fun recipe online to make Whoppers at home. Walmart has gone from archenemy number one to a savior brand. Local grocery stores led by low wage employees are putting themselves at risk every day. We have reimagined what an essential employee and essential services really are.
The Brands Who’ve Changed Will Gain
There’s some chatter about how consumers will make future purchase decisions based on how brands behave during this crisis. Some say that brands that seemed insensitive to the consumer won’t come back. But they will come back, because old habits die-hard. Bank of America will be just as busy. Restaurants, bars and clubs will be packed on the weekends. People will buy cars, boats and riding lawnmowers. Life will go on.
But those smart and savvy brands, the dynamos, the counselors will gain the most. They will gain new consumers, new partners, new possibilities and new perspectives. This “temporary reinvention of their business” changes the Soul of the Brand. When we are called in to literally save the day your purpose, passion and spirit changes.
There is a big difference is selling hamburgers and saving lives. Crisis has a way of bringing out the best in our brand, our coworkers and ourselves. Crisis makes us reinvent our purpose and ourselves, and in doing so, it actually unites us.
-contributed by Michael Petan, Trends Consultant
We Can Help
Our clients know that we base all decisions on consistency. This means, an experience at the right place, the right time, and sending the right message to the right people, from the right brand ambassadors.
Want to learn more? Contact our expert team at MOGXP here. We’ll work together to identify the best opportunities to make your experiential marketing campaign a success.