As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, one thing is certain: Nothing will ever be same again. Thrusting into a state of isolation every now and then and not knowing what’s going to happen in the future, people of this era have a lot on their plate with Covid-19 taking the hot spot. It has affected the way people used to live and most importantly, the way they used to spend. Since the start of this pandemic, consumer circumstances and buying habits have changed significantly and thus, brands have been pushed to change their approach as well. Many experts have stated that it’s time for brands to reassess their marketing strategies and make use of the one thing that can give them the results they desperately require – digital marketing.

With digitalization taking over the industries as well as markets by storm, we cannot ignore the impact a well-crafted and well executed digital marketing strategy has in achieving the targets on your list. In fact, many marketers have managed to still find success during the pandemic with the use of right digital tools. They are still connecting with their customers, promoting their brand, and boosting their sales. So, what exactly do these marketers know? To answer this, we have listed for you five noteworthy marketing campaigns that can perhaps fuel up your marketing efforts.

“Couch potatriot” by Burger king

At the start of the Covid pandemic, many were uncertain about how they are supposed to live in the confines of their home. Precisely, fast-food lovers felt this pain and burger king handled it well. In its “couch potatriot” advertising, BK highlighted three pressing issues and solved them. First, it urged people in a very subtle manner to have burger king deliver to their home and solved the hunger issue. Second, it solved the issue of cost by offering free delivery via their app. Third, it encouraged people to stay at home by branding this act of consumers as patriotic, suggesting staying at the couch these days is an act of patriotism. While many restaurants were also offering free delivery, Burger king’s approach stands out as it basically made the consumer the hero of the whole situation while pressing the importance of staying indoor and following the social distancing guidelines. So, you also need to first understand your customer situation right now and craft a campaign that puts them in the light.

Gillette’s “Barber Suraksha” Programme

The lockdown has resulted in the loss of many people’s livelihoods including barbers. The Gillette team decided to provide support to the barber community under its Barbar Suraksha programme with sanitation kits, videos practices for safety, Covid insurance and most importantly, hope for the months to come, which Gillette reflected in its marketing campaign. This campaign garnered around 45 million views and over 20 million engagement. It also helped turn the barber community from competitors to business partners. It also gave it’s brand an opportunity to increase the sale of its products. With this campaign, Gillette made its brand stand out and represented a thoughtful image of the brand that touched the cords of the audience’s heart. Nowadays, people want themselves to be associated with a brand that has a purpose which is much more than just earning profit and that is what Gillette India targeted.

“Isolated Not Alone” by Avon

While the pandemic turned everyone lives upside down, AVON realized that they were some section of people that were more vulnerable now. With schools and businesses closed, many children and women at risk of domestic violence were trapped with their offenders. Since AVON has long been a voice for domestic violence, it partnered with a domestic violence awareness organization and hosted live video sessions with global thought leaders and also its customers on this topic. Plus, it issued open letters to government organizations asking for a focus on domestic violence preventions. So, right now, brands need to harness their strong values in order to connect with their customers meaningfully. It is time for brands to show customers that they are human and they understand their plight and lend them a helping hand.

Nike

Nike’s brand message has always been clearly reflected in its marketing campaigns. It wants people to believe that they have the potential to achieve anything and they only need to realize it. Amidst the pandemic, Nike helped its customers maintain their fitness and personal morale by making its club training subscription free for a limited amount of time and offering fans exclusive access to training, health and fitness content. In addition, Nike also highlighted the importance of staying healthy during the pandemic with its podcast. In these ways, Nike continues to maintain a strong sense of brand loyalty during this challenging time. So, if you take some time to craft a brand message that is direct and meaningful across different channels, you will be able to boost your brand authority and create customer loyalty.

Airbnb India

If we consider which industry is significantly impacted by the pandemic, it would be the one related to travel. The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed all of us inside our homes. Moreover, cities going to lockdown every now and then have further affected the travel business. With no travel on the horizon, the business for Airbnb stalled globally. Its host community, more than half of whom are small and independent business owners, suffered the loss of their income. However, to tackle this problem, Airbnb introduced online experiences on its platform that provides an opportunity for someone to become a host, earn an income and explore a passion. This allowed Airbnb to continue creating human connections by giving people easy access to explore something unique and cultural. This campaign helped Airbnb to stay relevant, increase its engagement rate and foster a community. So, in this sense, you need to find a way through which your brand remains in the mind of your audience by staying true to your proposition.

So, basically, the stories above reflect a variety of marketing campaigns. All of them, together, suggest that by staying true to your brand values, maintaining a positive brand image and by connecting with your audience, you can still flourish. Though the time ahead of us is still filled with uncertainty, there is hope for a better tomorrow and we just need to be strong and move ahead with determination.