Insight
Post-Epidemic Branding Strategies
(Written by: Lee Kwok Wing / Honorary Advisor of Process Pro Brand Taiwan)
The ongoing global epidemic of pneumonia has changed people's daily lives, and with it, the way companies manage their brands. In terms of brand management, Pro reminds us of the three no's and four dos:
Don't disappear into the market: Make the most of your resources and create differentiation from other brands. For example, Thai Airways launched a branding campaign whereby by downloading an app, turning on your location at home, and staying within 100 meters of your home, the app will automatically add miles to your flights. Despite being unable to carry passengers during the outbreak, THAI maintained its presence in the hearts and minds of travelers.
Don't just sellThe company's focus is on developing meaningful products and services that can really help people in times of trouble. For example, LVMH, the world leader in boutique products, turned its perfume lab into a "medical alcohol sanitizer" to help France fight the epidemic.
Don't fight alone.: You can use a strong brand network to help people unite. For example, as the epidemic hit the restaurant industry, eight restaurant groups across Taiwan, including Juan Tofu, Mofanpi, and Mustache Chang, formed a restaurant alliance to promote the "Home Package" 7-day set, which is a precedent for cross-brand, cross-industry, and cross-cuisine joint promotions in the restaurant industry.
To build team cohesionEmployees are the cornerstone of an organization. At this moment in time, corporate solidarity is crucial. For example, Airbnb laid off 251 TP3T employees due to the epidemic. By explaining the decision-making process and reasons for layoffs in detail, assisting the laid-off employees to find new jobs, and continuing to provide health insurance, Airbnb has prepared for the departure of its employees, and made those who stayed on to recognize the brand's vision and mission, which means that they are working hard to build a sense of belonging.
To fulfill corporate social responsibility: Demonstrate your brand promise and increase your brand value at the right time. For example, Budweiser, the nation's leading sponsor of sports and entertainment events, donated millions of dollars in sponsorship dollars, as well as its original media buy, to the Red Cross. Budweiser also used the video to promote the One Team concept, expressing that we are all on the same team in the fight against the epidemic and honoring the healthcare workers and all those who are fighting.
To find new insights.For example, AFA recognizes the trend of placing more emphasis on health and exercise after the epidemic and encourages consumers to eat right in the most economical way and exercise at any time. For example, in view of the trend of emphasizing more on health and exercise after the epidemic, AFA proposed the "AFA Economic Fitness", which encourages consumers to eat the right food in the most economical way and exercise anytime, anywhere, so as to encourage consumers to shape up their own preferred appearance.
To Brand Transformation: Evolve your brand by making the necessary adjustments due to market changes. For example: The Hsin Kuan epidemic hit the domestic travel industry hard. The leading travel agency, Lion Travel Group, decided to transform itself from a "travel group" to a "lifestyle industry group" by developing a travel experience economy, integrating the marketing of food products and commodities, and launching a comprehensive partnership to jointly manage the beauty of Taiwan and the goodness of Taiwan.
After reading the above examples, I hope it can help you to take more specific actions that are suitable for your business and brand. To summarize, the overall strategic thinking of enterprises can be further divided into short, medium and long term:
short-term: Look at product and competitor dynamics. What quick adjustments have competitors made in response to the epidemic? What are the features of our products that can be proposed to solve the immediate problems of customers.
mid-term: Look at the market and industry trends. After the epidemic has been going on for some time, is there a trend in the industry as a whole in terms of the products mentioned above and the dynamics of the competitors? What does this trend mean for your company and brand?
long term: It all comes back to what kind of business you want to be and how to keep up with the momentum of the current generation. Are you "going with the flow" or are you just "going with the flow"? To answer this question, companies must go back to the basics and examine whether they have a clear vision, mission, core values, and "relevance" to the environment in which they operate, in order to communicate values and brand promises that make customers feel good.
