Businesses looking to take a stance must support campaigns with real action.
Disruptions led by COVID-19 exposed brands’ and marketers inadequacies in their understanding of consumers. This caused misplaced and irrelevant priorities to backfire, as consumers showed little to no tolerance towards inauthentic, self-serving ads.
Demographics became homogeneous, as firms redefined connectivity, streamlined experiences, and exploited tech to evolve and match consumers' expectations, while the value delivered sunk. So when COVID-19 struck, brands were caught off-guard, and had little to offer in value, and struggled to get the right message across at scale. For example, Facebook building Instagram for kids, despite being riddled with privacy concerns.
Businesses must implement new innovative strategies and focus on their consumers, rather than just using consumer feedback to work on their ideas. Incorporating empathy, transparency, and authenticity in marketing campaigns can help brands enhance consumer experiences beyond expectations.
[4 minute read]
