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Is it just me or has life felt a smidge different lately?

Yes, no matter the industry, everybody has had to adapt to a world dealing with the chaos, confusion and all-around challenges that have come with COVID-19. That’s been particularly true in our industry, where current events have transformed the way we approach production at every single stage.

At first blush, it might seem like COVID safety restrictions might automatically lead to serious budget savings…

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a disruptive force like no other, fundamentally changing the world as we know it – and how we interact with it. People are living, thinking and buying differently. Brand marketers must recognize that consumers’ new habits will endure beyond the crisis and permanently reshape their behaviours, values and confidence levels.

Considering the effects of the virus, some people feel anxious and worried – contributing to panic-buying of household staples – while others remain indifferent and even resistant to new health and safety requirements, especially those now mandated by certain cities and shops. Targeting the “consumer in crisis” requires moving from the days of one-size-fits-all marketing to customized and personalized messaging strategies. Brands need to know their customers better than ever before, and how their priorities may shift in the long term.

Over 135 days have passed since the declaration of the global coronavirus pandemic. It was just a few days earlier that the NBA took swift action suspending its season indefinitely due to safety concerns when a player tested positive for COVID-19 – how quickly things evolved from there. Since that time, we’ve witnessed thousands of live entertainment events around the world, and here at home, having no choice other than to postpone, cancel or shut-down permanently, leaving many questioning the future of live entertainment.

As the situation has evolved, discussion in the media around the industry and future fan and consumer behaviour has heated up…

Is experiential marketing (XM) dead? We’ve heard this question since the start of this pandemic. From suppliers, vendors and even clients. Admittedly, it’s a fair question. There are no events and people need to stay at least six feet away from each other, so why would they want to be in a crowded public space, let alone get close to strangers. Is this truly the end of experiential marketing?

The Need for Interaction

The answer is a resounding NO! The truth is we have a natural chemical—Oxytocin—hard-wired into our DNA, which makes us crave social contact on many levels. It’s released in our brain during social interaction and contact, increasing happiness and reducing stress. So on a very base level, we need social engagement and, when we’re deprived of it, we begin to crave it.

Now, the challenge is that COVID-19 has made mass attendance at places like malls and music festivals impossible. However…

One-fifth of the Canadian population is foreign-born…

Chinese and South Asian consumers have high purchasing power — but they have different buyer behaviours and attitudes than the general population…

These are points you may have heard before and it’s no different during COVID-19. Yet little has been said or researched about the ethnic consumer as a “recovery” opportunity post COVID-19. We surveyed 900 Canadians — including South Asian and Chinese respondents — to understand their behaviours during COVID-19 and beyond.

Peter Field, marketing and advertising effectiveness expert, recently joined thinktv for an insightful webinar, during which he made a compelling argument for continuing to advertise during the current crisis.

As part of his ongoing research into advertising effectiveness, Field analyzed the effectiveness of various advertising approaches during the global financial crisis of 2008-09 and shared critical lessons for marketers in the seminal work, Advertising in a Downturn. His most recent paper, Advertising in Recession, Long, Short or Dark? builds on that work to conclude that, although the current crisis is unique, the lessons for marketers from previous downturns still apply. The first lesson: Keep advertising (if you can).