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In 2020, COVID-19 hit the US and its economy hard, and as a result, many companies are having their brand awareness fall, people are losing work, and the world is rapidly changing. Everyone is trying to adapt on the fly as we continue to digest the new daily news dealing with the pandemic and its changes in data each day. All while keeping up with the new rules that accompany the changes. It’s difficult to stay abreast of all the latest developments, changes, and adaptations each day as the rules are seemingly changing the moment we all feel like we know what they are. This leads to uncertainty and hesitation when working towards taking the correct and necessary steps each day to navigate the turbulent waters of life, both business and personal, as we all begin to venture out into this post-pandemic world that lays before us all.
History of Procter and Gamble
Most of everyone’s first instinct during the pandemic is to lay low while trying to dissect, analyze, and strategize for what is occurring in the world each day. [bctt tweet=”But like Procter and Gamble during The Great Depression, the smart companies out there will realize that this is the time to double-down, not hide and cower” username=”ThatCompanycom”] Procter and Gamble thought outside-the-box and found a new opportunity to reinforce their brand awareness towards their target audience…by creating the opportunity.
For those of you that don’t know, Procter and Gamble decided to sponsor daytime dramas during the 1930s. This audience consisted of housewives that listened to these shows on the radio. This proved to be the perfect environment to advertise their products. Procter and Gamble sponsored these daytime dramas with their line of products such as Duz, Oxydol, and other household soaps. This is why these shows were later named, and identified as “soap operas”.
Procter and Gamble knew that this wasn’t a time to sit back, but rather a time for innovation. An opportunity to adapt and build something that people could identify with. A way to increase their Brand Awareness in a time of turmoil for an entire country. These current times are no different. Companies with the resources should learn from Procter and Gamble’s history and fight the urge to sit back and wait. When the pandemic is over, it will be the companies that kept their Brand Awareness alive that reap the rewards.
Applying Lessons from Soap Operas for Your Brand Awareness
Where do we start to build brand awareness during COVID? Before you begin, first understand that disruption in any market will always lead to innovation. Have your company brainstorm ideas of innovation. Where is the market going, and where will it lead? If you can answer these questions, then you can formulate a plan that will increase your brand awareness dramatically. For example, most companies must adapt to selling online currently as people are afraid to open themselves to shopping in the public environment which makes them more susceptible to COVID-19.
The impact that COVID has had on digital marketing and the entire economy has been substantial, but some companies have already found ways to innovate and increase their brand awareness during the pandemic by offer curbside pickup. This enables a contact-free choice for customers to purchase something online and pick it up without having to get out of their car. Another example would be how restaurants have adapted to offer local delivery. These ideas have only scratched the surface of the possibilities for innovation and in turn, have increased brand awareness for the companies that do offer these innovations. The question we all should be asking ourselves is “where does this take us next?”
While you are putting your brains together to innovate for the future, what should you be doing in the meantime? There are 3 keys to identify and follow as you forge this new road to innovating your market. Here they are…
Keeping Digital Marketing Effective During the Pandemic
History has shown us companies who keep their brand awareness high during times of crisis are the brands that rebound both stronger and faster. People want and expect this from businesses in times of crisis. They are looking for you to lead them to your product or service. People have enough on their minds and the easier you can make it for them to find your product or service, the easier you will find it to maintain sales and profitability.
Identify ways that you can help not just your company, but more importantly, society. People will remember this well after the pandemic has passed. Become more than just a Brand. Be the company, the brand, and the people that helped the communities that are most vulnerable to this crisis. This is how you increase your brand awareness.
How To Follow in the Footsteps of Procter and Gamble
If you make a “positive deposit” in the hearts and minds of the public, they won’t forget this. Your brand awareness will go up with these positive deposits and they can come in many different shapes and sizes. You can support nonprofits that are providing to families most affected by COVID-19. You can create an advertising campaign targeting the youth of the country to remind them of the importance of Social Distancing.
One of my favorite positive deposits is when I go to a store, and the store is offering PPEs and hand sanitizer to keep everyone safe. The downfall of this is that people will expect this all the time. And their opinions of your company may be affected by how often these products are available to them. It’s important that if you decide to take on any of these positive deposits, you must be prepared to follow through for the entire crisis for your brand awareness to increase effectively.
It’s important to realize that people don’t want to see another “Plain Jane” Ad. An ad that paints the picture of a company caring about what is going on in the country today, but then does nothing to help. If you can keep your company visible while finding a new way to innovate your market, you will have your audience’s attention, your brand awareness will go up, and you have won this battle.
Remain Relevant
When I say to “remain relevant” I’m not talking about your products or services, but rather finding new ways to remain visible. We just covered some ways that you can help to keep your company visible during the pandemic, but now I want you to realize the importance of remaining relevant. This means staying up to date on the current government, state, county, and city regulations, monitoring the new advice of experts in the medical field, and anticipating your customer’s demands and looming needs on the horizon.
This is currently a crucial time for companies, as consumers are developing new behaviors based on new market products, strategies, and innovations. What you need to do is find the winning combination that will carry your brand awareness for the long haul. Customers are loyal to the companies and brands that help them through the tough times, and if you think that customers have money to offer you… you’re dead wrong. As we come out of the pandemic, the market space is going to grow, adding new competitors into the mix. And customers are going to remember who was there for them during COVID-19… not after.
Disrupt Your Market To Maintain Brand Awareness
Over the past few months, we have witnessed over 10 years worth of innovation. Do you want to disrupt your market? Do you want to have exceptionally high brand awareness? It comes down to innovation. Who would have imagined that the percentage of people that work from home would have doubled since earlier this year? Companies needed to adapt to how they would run their businesses during the pandemic. To keep their employees safe they adopted the ability to have their employees work from home (where do you think I’m writing this article from now?).
This helped keep their company “visible” to their employees as a choice for employment during this crisis to help keep themselves and their families safe. It also kept them “relevant” by adapting to a change in market climate, taking away the need to find a new job that fit their new life. Lastly, it was innovative. It created “disruption”; and offered something that wasn’t available to employees prior. Therefore, increasing loyalty to their employer, and ingraining a life-changing event into their brains that will likely never be forgotten. This is the challenge that companies face today, except for the fact that they need to complete these tasks in a way that benefits their customers instead.
Closing Remarks About Brand Awareness
So, be a trendsetter. Plan for the future, not only the present. Anticipate what is to come next and prepare yourself to be ready to respond immediately. It’s the companies that can do these things that will come out ahead and have their brand awareness benefit the most.
Need help with White label branding? Or do you simply need help understanding what is a white label? Feel free to contact us with any questions and let us know what you think of the article and how you will prepare to keep your brand awareness high to be ready for the world after the pandemic.
