From marketing messaging and philanthropic actions to business operations

and product innovation, the good brands have redistributed their resources to
promote unity when we’re socially distanced. As the world joins forces to contain the
current COVID-19 crisis, businesses are concerned with customer optimism. The two
foundations of customer loyalty, trust and confidence, are being put to the test. While we all
hope this is a temporary situation, anxiety is high, and people are scared. This global crisis is
truly about customer moments that matter.

By putting customers’ interests first, this can be a time for the company’s brand to lead. Even
though businesses might be taking a short-term hit to their bottom line, putting flexible refund,
pricing, and change policies in place, and finding other ways to help their customers through this
crisis will be beneficial to the long-term health of the company. Many of the things that the
businesses know about their customer or target audience are different now due to this pandemic.
People are feeling communal, anxiety and grief, their daily routines have most probably changed
completely and some have either lost their job or either risking their health to meet their essential
services. So it is very important for brand today to assess everything they have currently in
market be it the product or be it their advertising and stat with the channel that gets the most
eyes. So rather than sticking to the values or marketing message before this pandemic, brands
must now craft a message that is sensitive to the current situation, take into account their
customer’s new situation and concerns, as well as be honest, transparent and more human.

The key to ride this public health crisis wave is by being nimble. Rethink your marketing
strategy to make them more relevant. A gold standard for this kind of messaging
pivot is what Nike did shortly after Americans were asked to stay
home if at all possible.
Use media in more agile ways

To quickly pivot creative messages as circumstances change, marketers will want to build more
rapid-response operating models internally and with agencies. Access to remote production and
creative capacity will become particularly important as the crisis evolves. Nike, for example,
immediately moved to adopt a new message: “Play inside, play for the world.” And in order to
promote social distancing and show a commitment to public safety, Chiquita Brands removed Miss
Chiquita from their logo. “I’m already home. Please do the same and protect yourself,” its
Instagram caption read.

Beyond creative, as the mix of actual media platforms used by consumers

 Associate your brand with good

People will remember brands for their acts of good in a time of crisis, particularly if done with true
heart and generosity. This could take the form of donating to food banks, providing free products
for medical personnel, or continuing to pay employees while the company’s doors are closed.
Adobe, for example, immediately made Creative Cloud available to K-12 institutions, knowing
this was a moment to give rather than be purely commercial. Consumers will likely remember how
Ford, GE, and 3M partnered to repurpose manufacturing capacity and put people back to work to
make respirators and ventilators to fight coronavirus. And people appreciate that many adult
beverage companies, from Diageo to AB InBev, repurposed their alcohol-manufacturing
capabilities to make hand sanitizer, alleviating short supplies with their “It’s in our hands to make a
difference” message.
Feel-good content that alleviates anxiety and promotes positive messaging will go
a long way to enhancing the brand. However, companies need to show that their
contributions are material and not solely for commercial benefit. Consumers
recognize authenticity and true purpose
On their journey to become the “world’s most-trusted company,” Ford
has made some great moves in response to COVID-19. Putting competition
aside, Ford and GE Healthcare joined forces with 3M to assist in
the production of health equipment including respirators for those who are
having trouble breathing due to the coronavirus. Being sensitive to the fallout
from the pandemic, Ford is also shifting its focus away from selling to new
customers and towards relieving stress of current customers. The company
stopped running ads promoting its Escape and Explorer models and replaced
them with informational spots about a car payment relief program that gives
customers respite from their monthly expenses. Both moves are consistent
with the company’s response to global and national events in the past. During
the world wars, the company led manufacturing efforts and built tanks and
planes. In response to natural disasters, Ford has offered relief in the form of
similar programs that it’s extending to customers now.  
From nearly every angle, Nike is attacking COVID-19 through
community. Headquartered in Oregon, one of the states hit first and hardest
by the virus, Nike is showering organizations in the area with donations.
They’ve committed millions in funding to Oregon Food Bank, the Oregon
Community Recovery Fund and Oregon Health & Science University. The
brand also switched up its advertising angle. The brand that equips customers
with apparel and other products to get active outside encourages viewers in
a new ad campaign to play inside not just for themselves, but for the world.
Social posts tapped into customer attitudes of fame and recognition for being
the best in their field. One graphic in particular read: “If you’ve ever dreamed
of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance.” Influential
sports figures including Pete Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods, and
Michael Jordan echoed the statement through their social platforms,
infiltrating a conglomerate of communities with the message. In another
notable community-oriented deed, Nike is giving free access to premium
training programs through its Nike Training Club app.
Other brands are using emotion to connect to consumers during these challenging times.
Dove recently launched a Dad On ad focused on the dads taking care of their families
during the COVID-19 pandemic and also highlighting those who are frontline workers.
Ford launched a new ad and social media campaign in May focused on the importance of
manufacturing in the U.S. and also underscoring the flexibility of its workers, as they shifted
gears during the pandemic to manufacture medical supplies.
Walmart has paid additional bonuses to associates working during the COVID-19
pandemic and also launched a heroes tv ad in March thanking frontline workers.
We expect that the use of emotion in branding will continue to increase during the
pandemic, and even after it eases.

I would argue that one of most the meaningful things brands can do right now
is focus on two qualities: helpfulness and empathy. Here are some excellent
examples of companies doing just that:

 Lexus shows the many ways that its service team can help
customers in the ad, “Service Is Not Just A Department.” One of
my favorite qualities here is the message that even though the
world has changed, the Lexus commitment to service has not. I
also find it powerful to see the number of women represented as
customers in this ad.

Here are three marketing strategies you may want to avoid right now, in the
midst of the coronavirus crisis:

1. Avoid scare tactics. Default to being reassuring and helpful

instead. Everyone is stressed enough.
2. Avoid aggressive messaging that positions your brand as superior
by slamming your competitors. This is a time for unity, not one-
upmanship. Take the high road.
3. Avoid messages that focus on status differences.

Humanize your company.

Let consumers know that your company understands the dire social circumstances at play and
cares about more than simply reaping profit during this difficult time. Empathize with those
affected by Covid-19, and spell out the steps you are taking to help customers, employees, and
other stakeholders. Your company’s social media sites and customer mailing lists are ideal vehicles
for doing this.

Strong consumer brands should deliver simple messages that

address COVID-19 and social responsibility

Gillespie suggests that bigger brands that have influence within consumer
communities keep their messages simple, obvious, and informative

Brands can play an active and engaging role in pushing these messages, aiding the warnings and
guidelines laid out by the government. Brands have a massive following and we can use this in a
good way to spread these messages.

Garnier: take care at home

KFC: finger Cleaning good
MCdonald: I’m washing it
What we can learn from the best responses to COVID-19 is that brands should go beyond typical
messaging and reassess the relevance of their value propositions. Translating the message into
actual action clearly results in a positive image, and one that will make a mark on consumers.
But it’s important for brands to really “walk the talk” and be genuine in their contributions. 

1. Nike Nike masterfully crafted a campaign with the hashtags #playinside and

#playfortheworld, an example of brand-based encouragement to help flatten the curve. It calls for
athletes to inspire and innovate while they train or play at home. The message is simple, but it
effectively taps into human emotions and provides hope, all while maintaining brand identity.

Action: Nike provides athletes and kids tools to fuel their mental and physical health. These can
be accessed via the Nike app, the Nike Running Club app, the Nike Training Club app, as well as
its website and social channels. Nike’s response efforts include manufacturing and donating PPE
such as full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to health care
organizations across the US. The brand has committed over $17.5 million to the cause so far. 

 Unilever has taken a bold position to be a leader in the fight against COVID-19. As the world’s
biggest soap company, the brand quickly realized that it has a big role to play in safeguarding its
stakeholders (consumers, communities, partners, and workforce). In addition to providing aid, it
also champions raising awareness and changing behavior to tackle the spread of the virus.

Action: Unilever has ramped up its corporate social responsibility by going straight to the
frontlines. Apart from donating a hefty sum to the COVID Action Platform of the World
Economic Forum, Unilever also plans to adapt its current manufacturing lines to produce
sanitizer for use in hospitals, schools, and other institutional settings. It has committed to
contribute over €100 million of donations in the form of soap, sanitizer, bleach, and food. Most
of its efforts are targeted at developing nations, especially in areas with limited resources and
fragile healthcare systems.

Taking an example of Lifebuoy, during the pandemic, the brand’s first response was to make
public service announcement across 17 key markets simultaneously to encourage people to use
not just their own but any soap to wash their hands so as to help prevent the virus to spread. To
promote this message of washing hands the brand has also been working with many international
influencers who are sharing tiktok challenges and social media posts encouraging people to
#DoTheLifebuoy and wash their hands thoroughly with soap.

Similarly to make an effort to provide help in this situation Lifebuoy has teamed with Uber to
provide sanitizers for the drivers as well as passengers. In Indonesia and india the brand is
partnering with various food delivery apps to ensure the delivery teams and the customers can
keep germ-free hand on the go. Also to meet the existing unexpected rise in the demand of
sanitizing items it has been collaborating with e-commerce sites like Lazada.

Similarly, the beauty brand Dove has also changed its advertising and digital marketing content
during this lockdown period. Recognizing the heroic daily acts of the healthcare workers, the
brand has launched a film in the US and Canada called ‘Courage is Beautiful’. The film features
the mask-marked faces of health professionals who are fighting every day to ensure our safety

To help care-givers at home, the Dove Self-Esteem Project (DSEP) is continuing to

support the mental wellbeing of young people while schools are closed by partnering
with a leading body-positive influencer and using platforms including Instagram Live to
share advice on staying safe on social media and body confidence. All the DSEP’s
educational tools are also available to dow

Plus, knowing that for many parents managing childcare responsibilities

alongside work has been a challenge, Dove Men+Care has been sharing how its
international rugby player ambassadors care for their families while keeping to
training commitments. The #DadsCare films show they all have their own unique
way of caring for their partners and children, even more so in extraordinary times.