The Coronavirus outbreak has radically disrupted consumers’ lives, behaviour and spending patterns. As we navigate through this together, whether as a business or as a consumer, we are all keenly awaiting a return to normality in our social lives, work lives and of course, across areas like global and domestic travel, as well as retail and wellness.
Brands may feel connected to their audiences more than ever right now, as they respond to this disruption through innovative and agile campaigns, designed to reassure consumers and provide a service or content which is relevant and useful to them at this time.
But in the long-term, will the UK landscape ever return to what we once deemed ‘normal’?
As with any great crisis of national – or global – significance, we know we can expect a definite shift in culture and values post pandemic.
Although we may be more physically isolated than ever before, the nation has forged a true sense of ‘togetherness’ through this time. There is a greater awareness of community and those around us, a greater empathy of feeling and a returned appreciation for family, culture, music, art, nature. In short, we are valuing the simpler things in life.
And in-line with this refreshed appreciation of values, we can note that time itself has taken on a totally different quality. In pre-pandemic times, marketing to most demographics would take into account the time poor, busy, juggling-too-much audience with a need for convenience and time-saving hacks as they balanced hectic schedules.
And although those with families are now tackling the issues of working from home with home-schooling their young charges, we are now seeing a new quality of time emerging – with consumers looking for how to fill their hours, from craft and hobbies, to upskilling in the kitchen or escapism through entertainment.
Coronavirus has forced people to re-evaluate their own priorities, their ways of working, spending and behaving – something that will influence our society long-term.
We can be positive that times of crisis and cultural change are often a catalyst for creativity – and that can be exciting. Communication plans will need to reimagine a future consumer, one that might have a shift in values and priorities and that will respect brands and venues that support this new world.