By: Shreya Bhattacharjee

These are exceedingly frustrating times for marketers. Product launches are getting deferred, movie theatres and malls are closing, restaurants downing shutters, streets look empty and travel is grinding to a halt. Yet, this is also an extraordinary opportunity for marketers to engage with their consumers. As more and more people get cooped up either at home or quarantined zones, brands have captive audiences for their television commercials, digital campaigns and social media messages.

Here are some ways in which the brands can market themselves through the quarantine:

The Power of Social Media:

During this quarantine period when majority of the people are staying in their homes, their online surfing is no longer restricted to office journeys and meeting breaks. As there has been a predominant surge in the amount of active online users, brands need to shift their focus more than ever on social media. This is the ideal time to connect with the customers through a series of innovative content on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Since most of the customers are sitting idle in their homes and most probably getting bored, a new breeze of entertaining content from their familiar brands will definitely help them connect better with the brand creating a new sense of appreciation and also a loyalty for the product (or brand), hence creating a benchmark for the post quarantine bounce back for the organization.

This is also a good time for the organization to connect with their top loyal customers and to know their detailed feedback as now these customers are more than ever free to give a detailed analysis of their experience based on which the company can revise their business strategies.

Re- Evaluate Your Virtual Visions:

Virtual visions are the mother principle behind digital marketing. The entire concept of digital marketing relies on the simple psychological fact that human tend to retain their visual memory more than any other senses. However during such sensitive times of an imminent global health scare a brand needs to be extra sure that they are not sending out the wrong kind of message through their advertising campaign. For example KFC released its “Finger Lickin Good” campaign in the month of February at a time when self hygiene was the talk of the town.  Brands should keep in mind the greater good of their customers and their own brand image and refrain from using visuals showcasing close interaction among humans such as hugging or a crowd of people walking down the streets as these are the kind of visuals that would be the last thing people would like to remember the brands with.

However some sensitive advertisement could also go a long way into etching the brand forever in the minds of their viable customers, just like this beautiful advertisement by Pidilite’s Fevicol:

Don’t Capitalize on the Crisis:

Although it is a time of economic catastrophe and majority of the brands would be lured to take advantage of the emotional vulnerability of the people in order to mitigate the losses of their organization due to the pandemic, it would be a humble request to refrain from using such unethical practices.  

On the similar lines it is very important for the brands to publish the correct facts and information regarding the current crisis and its impact on the organization’s business instead of keeping their customers in the dark. By this way these brands will be able to bring in a personal touch with their customers who are also going through individual economic crisis and will be able to connect in a much better way, hence creating a long term bonding.

And even if the organization is earning huge profits during the time of crisis (like the ecommerce sector, food delivery companies or health care sector) it is expected that these organizations show some empathy towards the people through their marketing strategy, so that people still remember them even after things have normalized and the need of these sectors have subsidized. For example publishing advertisement like “HOT COVID-19 SALES” goes way ahead in showing the insensitivity of the brand towards a common global misery.

Target High Value Customers:

Though this is the best time for the marketing team to reach out to their varied set of potential customers through their online digital marketing content, but they should not neglect their old loyal customers. This is the ideal time when marketing team can reach out personally to their old loyal customers through e-mail to not only get precious customer feedback but to also ask and wish about the well being of the customer and their family members, exposing a sensitive and caring aspect of the brands, and henceforth etching their impressions forever in the minds of their old customers. During this time of an economic crisis it is very important for a brand to hoard new customers for a phenomenal comeback after the post quarantine period, but it is equally important to strengthen their bonds more tightly with their existing set of customers.

About the Author:

The author is an aspiring engineer from Kolkata, India. She enjoys writing and is a regular reader of articles on varied topics.