To cut or not to cut?
If the most recent crisis, COVID-19, taught us anything, it's that consistency and clarity pay off.
People were starved of clarity, direction, and a real actionable game plan. This is where brands need to come in.
During a crisis, brands should leverage their narrative.
Brands should dial back on the simple and direct messaging of how they will generate value for their users. It's about shifting focus, staying relevant, and doubling down on awareness over brand purpose.
During a crisis more than ever, brands should have decisive leadership and a team that knows its stuff. These teams should be weaponised with strategies that help them be focused on the final prize, not on scattered tactics.
Mark Ritson once said that this is similar to what JFK did with the moon landing: clear, focused, outcome-driven.
Decisive leadership is vital.
WHAT ABOUT BUDGETS?
It's about adapting messages, not cutting budgets. Maintain, don’t diminish your advertising spend.
Adapt your messaging to stay relevant, see the world in your customers' eyes and don't get stuck on product-centric or feature-driven messages.
Crises come and go, but brands stay only if they really want to and are able to both change and stay consistent with their core.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
It's hard to tell as no two brands are alike, but these bullet points are a fairly safe bet to take your brand a step closer to efficiency and relevancy:
Audit Existing Strategies: Assess current marketing efforts to identify what's working and what isn't. This is crucial for reallocating resources effectively, remember cutting is not the way, improving is so it's crucial we know what needs improving.
Revisit Brand Strategy and Positioning: Ensure your brand messaging aligns with the current environment and resonates with your audience's changing needs. Brands do not live in vacuums, they live and act in society, make sure your brand its still relevant.
Run Customer Surveys: Gather insights directly from your audience to understand their evolving preferences and pain points. Your customers own your brand, they make it or break it so now more than ever it's important to talk to them.
Reevaluate Brand Touchpoints: Enhance memorability and distinctiveness. Ensure every interaction with your brand is consistent and leaves a positive impression. Avoid hiding behind industry standards and "me too" activation, if everyone is sagging you shoudl zig and stand out.
Invest in Internal Branding and Culture Activities: Strengthen your team's understanding and connection to your brand. A well-engaged internal team can greatly amplify external marketing efforts. Remember how well a brand is understood externally, depends on how well is understood internally.
In a world where crises are inevitable, brands that adapt, engage, and redefine their strategies don't just navigate the storm, they emerge as beacons, guiding the way forward in the ever-evolving market landscape.